


Bad Luck

by Number_Twelve



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, F/M, New Character - Freeform, Peacock Nathalie Sancoeur | Mayura, gabenath
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:55:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 20,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22420678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Number_Twelve/pseuds/Number_Twelve
Summary: Hawkmoth is visited by a new villain in a dream and she offers something he can't turn down.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 123
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, but I think it's actually pretty good. Enjoy your reading!  
> Pls leave coments on what you think!  
> Malachite14

Gabriel was not sure if this was some kind of dream or reality. Fog floated all around the designer, making him shiver. He could feel a presence around him somewhere in this room, but he couldn’t make out what it was. Then the all too familiar silhouette appeared a few steps in front of him.  
“E-Emily?” He whispered. He then knew this was a dream. His wife disappeared into the fog once again and he was left (sort of) alone once again. He willed his limbs to move and walked towards the spot his wife had been standing on.  
“STOP.” A voice said, making him freeze in mid step. Gabriel looked around him wildly. The voice echoed for a little while until everything was back to silence.  
“Who are you?” Gabriel said shakily, taking a step back.

“My name is Dark Raven and I am currently in your dream space, Mr. Agreste.” The voice said. It sounded more feminine than masculine and it was coated with sweet mysteriousness.  
“Well, then, show yourself.” Gabriel growled. There was an echoing sigh.  
“Oh well. I tried to be dramatic.” The voice said. Suddenly, all the mist parted to the sides, as if by magic. A little rickety tea table with a couple of chairs faded into view. On one of the chairs sat a woman dressed purely in black, part of her jet black hair tied up. She watched him with sharp, yellow eyes. A few jet black feathers sprouted from her shoulders and she wore a pair of knee-high boots. He saw a cape that extended from her hips to the back of her knees, also made out of the same black feathers. She stood up graciously, waving to the other chair.  
“Please, take a seat.” She said. Gabriel stood rooted to the spot and the woman gave him a small smile, “I don’t bite, Mr. Agreste.”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and slowly made his way to the other chair, sitting down. The woman smiled and sat as well. She wore no mask but he noticed a long scarf made from black fabric tied around her neck. So this must be another miraculous from a different box.  
“Ah, Mr. Agreste. I’ve been quite looking forwards to this moment.” The woman said. “My name’s Dark Raven, and I am looking for the same thing you are. I have the miraculous of the raven.” She tapped a metal feather on the side of her face. “And I think I know how to help you bring your wife back, sir.”  
“Is this some kind of joke?” Gabriel asked, leaning forwards.  
“It is not. As a fact, I am quite serious.” Dark Raven said with a wry smile. “I can meet you tomorrow, face to face, if you like.”  
“You also want the Ladybug and Black Cat’s miraculous?” Gabriel asked. The woman nodded. “What for?  
“I want to change a mistake I did in the past. If you don’t mind, I wouldn’t like to mention any more than that, sir.” The woman said before Gabriel could ask anymore. 

Gabriel stayed quiet for some time. On one hand, it would be useful to have someone who could intrude in people’s dreams. On the other hand, this woman could be tricking him. And he did have Mayura with him.  
“What else can you do except intruding people’s minds?” Gabriel asked slowly.  
“I can control any kind of dream.” She says, “Turn a dream into a nightmare, a nightmare into a dream. I can mess with a person’s imagination.” Gabriel nodded.  
“And how do you know Hawkmoth?” He asked. Dark Raven grinned, leaning forward an inch.  
“Because I’m sitting in front of him right now.” She said. Gabriel nearly chocked on his own saliva. He recomposed himself.  
“I’m sorry?” he asked. Dark Raven sighed.  
“I’ve seen your nightmares.” She said. “You dreams, too, Hawkmoth.” Gabriel stood up.  
“Release me.” He said. “I shall see you tomorrow at eleven o’clock. Tower Eiffel.”  
“Bring Mayura along, too.” Dark Raven said. She begun fading away into small, black sparkles.  
“I don’t think—” Gabriel begun to say, but he was yanked out of his dream. 

He suddenly sat up in bed, sweat rolling down his forehead. He looked at his alarm clock. 3:37 am. Eight more hours ‘till he had to meet the Dream intruder again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet Dark Raven face to face. Will she be accepted?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, I promissed a longer chapter but my parents won't let me do so. I'll try to do that on Chapter three. Enjoy!

“You agreed.”  
“What do you think, Nat?” Gabriel asked, looking down at his assistant, who sat at her desk. His assistant meditated it for a second.  
“If it’s going to help bring Emilie…” she muttered. “I guess it could work, sir.”  
“You don’t think it’s a trap?” Gabriel asked her. She shook her head.  
“I don’t know, but I guess we will find out.” She said, standing up. Gabriel stopped her as she opened her mouth.  
“Nathalie, I don’t want you to come.” He said.  
“I am coming.” She said. Duusu, for once, was quiet, floating besides Nooroo.  
“I don’t want you to risk you—”  
“Gabriel, we’ve already spoken over this a lot of times before.” Nathalie said firmly. “I’m sure we will find a cure for me but for now, you need Mayura to have your back, sir.” Gabriel was silent for a moment.  
Why is she so good at making me say yes? He thought with an inward sigh.  
“Fine, you can come. But as soon as you feel pain, you need to de-transform.” He said reluctantly.  
“Yes, sir.” Nathalie said. Gabriel reached inside his fancy jacket and took out her miraculous. She took it from him and pinned it to her chest.  
“Duusu, spread my feathers!”  
“Nooroo, dark wings rise.”  
XXXXX  
“Are you sure they will come?” The little Kwuami asked, floating besides the pale girl’s shoulder. She looked like a young woman for her age, but she saw it as an advantage. She was tall, slim and she never left her little feather shaped hair pin behind.  
“I know they will, Sun. All my observations paid off.” She said calmly, tying back the front strands of her hair into a neat pony tail. She looked at the Eiffel Tower, standing proud above all Paris. She then looked at her watch. Nearly eleven.  
“Sunset, let’s get to work. Spread my wings!” the girl said. Soon Dark Raven stood on the nearest rooftop. She felt free. She flipped her wooden cane around and let the top rest on her shoulder.  
“Time to change the past, Father.” She muttered, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, her feathery cloak flying behind her, scarf pulled up to hide part of her face.  
XXXXX  
“Hawkmoth! Wait!” Mayura gasped. Hawkmoth stopped, turning around. His partner in crime ran up to him and stopped a few steps behind him. She already looked weaker.  
“How do you feel?” he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.  
“Better than ever, sir.” She said. He rolled his eyes, picking her up and throwing him on his shoulder. Even carrying Mayura, the villain could run and jump at a steady pace, remaining unseen by the few Parisians down below. 

When they reached the Eiffel tower, they found the top deserted.  
“She must be on her way,” Hawkmoth said, setting Nathalie down. They nearly jumped out of their skins when a mysterious voice spoke somewhere above them.  
“Or she must be waiting for the other two. Good morning, Hawkmoth.” They found Dark Raven sitting on top of the railing, dangerously close to falling. She cheerfully got down, graceful like a feline.  
“You are on time,” Hawkmoth said, hiding the fact that he approved this. The woman nodded with a wry, little smile on her face.  
“I’m always on time when something interests me, Hawkmoth.” She said. “Also, Time is my second name. Quite literally.” The smile fell, replaced by seriousness. “Let’s get onto business. This must be Mayura, right?” she asked, gesturing to the older woman. The assistant nodded silently. She hid it well, but she was begining to feel a slight pain somewhere in her chest.

“She is, let’s say, my partner in crime.” Hawkmoth said. Dark Raven nodded in understanding.  
“Pleased.” She said. She looked at Mayura. “I assume you have been told about our talk?”  
“I was. Also that you wanted to use Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous?”  
“I want to change something in my past.” Dark Raven said. She showed no other emotion on her face, but both villains felt a pang of guilt coming from her.  
“If you want us to actually trust your intentions, you have to tell us what it is. You know our goal. We have to know yours.” Hawkmoth said. Dark Raven sighed dramatically, then stayed quiet for a few moments.  
“I accidentally drove someone crazy and they damaged another person.” Raven said through gritted teeth. As if fighting back her guilt would help. She continued talking. “Anyways, it would—” 

Mayura begun to cough uncontrollably. She clutched her chest and dropped down onto her knees.  
“Mayura!” Hawkmoth cried, bending to crouch besides her.  
Screw her identity, He thought, ripping the brooch away from her chest. Her transformation dropped as well as her consciousness. Dark Raven was frozen, memories flooding her head.  
“You should have told me her miraculous was broken.” She told Hawkmoth. “I wouldn’t have asked for her to come otherwise.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit longer than the last and a little bit more informative about the new villain. Enjoy.

Nathalie flicked her eyes open, but she shut them again when a strong ray of sunlight hit them. She groaned weakly, bringing a hand up to shield her eyes from the light.  
“Nooroo, can you shut that curtain?” she heard her boss’ voice say. She passed a hand over her face as the sunlight disappeared.  
“Gabriel?” she whispered. He had his back to her, but Gabriel heard her, because the room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. He turned around to look at her and sighed in relief.  
“Thank God you are awake. I begun to think you would go on sleeping…” he said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. His usually emotion-free face now had lines of worry. “How do you feel?”  
“Tired, but fine. What happened?” Nathalie asked, sitting up with a wince. She couldn’t remember things clearly. She should have de-transformed like Gabriel had told her to.  
“I brought you back home. Adrien is off with his friends so you can sleep all morning if you want to,” Gabriel said. Nathalie’s eyes widened.  
“Th-thank you, sir,” she stuttered. She then realized tat the brooch was not pinned on her shirt. “Where’s Duusu?”  
“Here. Can I stay with miss Nathalie?” the little Kwuami asked softly (for once). Gabriel looked at Nathalie, who blinked.  
“Fine. So long as you don’t fly circles around her head.” The little Kwuami replied by flying down and snuggling on Nathalie’s shoulder. 

Gabriel left Mayura’s brooch on her bedside table with a sigh.  
“Sleep well,” he said, getting to his feet. He was halfway out the door when he heard Nathalie begin to cough. He whirled around and ran to her aid.  
“I’m okay, I’m okay.” Nathalie said, but she let Gabriel drop a chaste kiss on her forehead and a light squeeze. Gabriel sat by her side until she was asleep.  
“Come on, Nooroo.” He told the butterfly Kwuami. Nooroo dutifully followed him out the door and Gabriel closed the door.  
XXXXX  
The hours passed and soon it was 3 pm in the afternoon. Gabriel had tried to do his own work, but his mind was too troubled and conflicted. Adrien was still with his friend (Nathalie had convinced Gabriel to let him stay until five pm the day before) and Nathalie had been sleeping. So the designer was grateful for a distraction when it came. There came a few light taps on his window and he looked up from his sketches to find Dark Raven waiting to be let in. He stood up and walked over to her, opening the window. Dark Raven easily jumped in.  
“Good afternoon, sir.” She said.  
“What are you doing here?” Gabriel asked. “You could have been seen.”  
“I came de-transformed and made sure not to be seen, Mr. Agreste.” Dark Raven said calmly. She looked at the room. “Quite fancy. I always forget that the real person behind the mask is a millenary.”  
“And what can this millenary do for you?” Gabriel asked, sitting back down at his desk, hands folded on the cool surface.  
“Our meeting was stopped short, remember?” Dark Raven said simply, inviting herself over to his couch. “By the way, how is Nathalie?”  
“Asleep and very tired. She’s been sleeping for at least three hours.” Gabriel replied.  
“Want me to give her something pleasant?” Dark Raven asked.  
“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked.  
“A dream, to keep her calm.” She said. Gabriel meditated this.  
“Fine. So long as it doesn’t wake her up, though.” He finally said. After all, Nathalie deserved some calm in her busy life. Dark Raven nodded and closed her eyes, bringing her hands up and cupping them. When she opened them again, a white, glowing orb floated out of her hands, stopping in front of her face.  
“Her name’s Nathalie what?” she asked Gabriel.  
“Sancour.” Gabriel told her.  
“Nathalie Sancour.” Raven whispered to the ball. It raised up and floated through the ceiling. A few more moments of silence until Dark Raven spoke again.

“Done. She’s dreaming of a calm meadow filled with colorful flowers and a lake.” She reported. Gabriel nodded. There was a long silence in which Gabriel continued his sketches and Dark Raven examined every inch of the room.  
“Where’s your son, sir?” she asked, leaning on his desk. Gabriel frowned, looking up.  
“How do you—” he begun asking, but she interrupted him with a sly smile.  
“Do you really expect me not to see your other dreams, sir?” she asked.  
“Why am I surprised?”  
“Exactly.” She straightened up and peered at his drawing, letting go an impressed whistle. “That is a really good sketch, Mr. Agreste.”  
“Thank you. Shall we speak, then?” he asked. “I’d like to know what you are capable of.”  
“With pleasure.” Raven said. He stood up and leaded her to the painting of Emilie. He pressed the hidden buttons and the ground sank from underneath them. 

“Welcome to my lair.” He said. White butterflies flied all around them, white flashes around them.  
“Neat.” Dark Raven said, grinning. “Let’s talk.”

"How long have you got?" Gabriel asked her.  
"All morning. My parents think I am at school." Dark Raven said, letting a white butterfly land on an outstretched finger.  
"Hang on. How old are you?" Gabriel asked.  
"I won't cornfirm. No older than eighteen, more than ten. Obviously."  
"Shocking news. Are you willing to tell me how you knew about the broken miraculous?" There was a short pause.  
"You'll trust me if I do?" Dark Raven asked.  
"More than I do now." Gabriel confirmed.  
"Fine then. My Grandfather suffered the consequences of one of the miraculous. It was severily damaged and it destroyed him from the inside. I tried to help him out of his pain by giving him a painless dream. Instead, I put him in a very long sleep. Also known as death." There was a long silence after that. Even the butterflies seemed to have paused their flapping for a moment. "I accept your help." Gabriel said. He knew howit felt to lost a loved one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My firend has been badgering me to dedicate a chapter so I'm going to do this now: This chapter is dedicated to Lulu (not using real namses) because you accept my weirdness. Happy?

Gabriel couldn’t go to sleep. He lay on top of his bed, fully clothed and staring at the ceiling. The conversation he had had with Dark Raven hours ago was still fresh in his mind.  
XXXXX  
“I accept your help.” Gabriel had said. The villain remained quiet for a short time before she finally spoke, in a voice broken by sorrow and guilt.  
“I swear, I never wanted it to happen. My grandfather… he was much more than just a familiar. He took my parents’ places.” She had said, looking at her feet. “My parents both worked for hours. I only got to see them in the morning before they left and in the night. In the mornings, I would wake up, have breakfast and leave for school. I looked forwards to the afternoons, when grandpa and I spent countless hours in the basement.  
“Back in his day, he had been a geography teacher. He taught me how to read a map, the names of crystals and the typical geography things. He would even bring specimens of fossils and stones he had collected over the years.  
“One day, when the summer holidays had begun, he went on a trip to Spain. He wanted to see O Courel, a mountain range in Galicia. He was very excited and when he came back, his bags had various types of stones he had collected from his trip. Along with a very odd thing.  
“He didn’t tell me until the next week after he had arrived from Spain. He had found an odd crystal, shaped like a feather.” 

Dark Raven paused, letting Gabriel catch up.  
“The stone… was it a miraculous?” he had asked.  
“We didn’t realize until it turned absolutely gray and the creature that had given it it’s color- Now known as a Kwuami- explained. My grandfather was immensely excited. He had looked up the odd stone in the internet, but we didn’t find a name until the Kwuami presented itself to us.  
“Little did we know that the creature was somehow broken. It was somehow… manipulative. It convinced my grandfather to use the jewel as a pin. It was too late when we realized that the miraculous was broken and it had slowly been ripping my grandfather in the inside. Not only his body, but also his sanity.  
“He begun to do things he wouldn’t have done in the past. He shouted at his wife, my parents. And then me. I still loved him. I convinced myself that he was just stressed. I was lying to myself.  
“He got worse and worse. And then there came the day of his death.” Dark Raven turned her back on Gabriel, the feathers on her waist cape ruffled. She didn’t want to seem weak, but Gabriel had felt her pain. “I arrived home from school one day. He was laying on the floor, unable to move an inch. And then I did something stupid.  
“I tried to use the broken miraculous to rid him of his pain. It absolutely backfired. I didn’t have any control over the dream I put him in. He saw things that made him suffer. I released him.  
“But it was already too late.” Her shoulders shook slightly, silent tears streamed down her face. She didn’t turn to look at Gabriel. She was ashamed of her tears.

Gabriel waited for her to stop crying before he gently asked, “Then what did you do?”. Dark Raven turned back to him, slightly more regal.  
“I shut the miraculous away. I didn’t touch it for nearly an entire year. I couldn’t forgive myself. My parents, absolutely clueless about the jewel, said that he was old and that he had died of a heart attack. That part was true. But I was the one who caused it.  
“I never told them about the cursed jewel. I never told anyone. And it felt horrible, because I had this sensation that the jewel was trying to get me to use it. I didn’t.  
“So it was on a day when I finally decided to get rid of the cursed jewel. But when I unlocked the box, I was shocked. I couldn’t throw the jewel away. Because not only did I feel guilty. It had somehow fixed itself.”  
Gabriel was shocked. “What? How?” Dark Raven looked truly sincere when she told him she had no idea.  
“It just happened.” She said. “Not even the Kwuami knows how.”  
“Please continue,” Gabriel said. Maybe there was a way to fix the peacock miraculous. To save Nathalie from her suffering. So had Dark Raven continued speaking.  
“I begun to wear the jewel pinned to my head. The Kwuami itself felt horrible. She hadn’t wanted that to happen to my grandfather. But it did. It wasn’t her fault entirely.  
“The next thing happened by pure luck. One night, I couldn’t fall asleep because something kept bothering me. Before I even knew it, I had become my alter ego and I had somehow ended up in a large room with a high ceiling and a cat walk, as well as bushes. I turned around and saw a man kneeling besides a large box. I felt myself walk forward.  
“I was shocked to find that the container was a coffin with a woman inside. The man was whispering things and he didn’t even realize I was there. ‘We will be together again, my dear. I shall get my hands on the miraculouses of Ladybug and Chat Noir and bring you back to me.’ The man had said. Then he stood up and turned around.  
“I then realized I was in Gabriel Agreste’s head in one of his dreams. That’s how I realized that I could change the past. I could help you get them in exchange of using them as well.” Dark Raven had let out a shaky breath.

Gabriel had remembered the dream too. He had felt an odd presence around him, but he thought it had been Emilie. Dark Raven continued.  
“I first considered getting the jewels myself, but after watching Hawkmoth fail each attempt, I knew I would need help.” She said.  
“I’m not that bad,” Gabriel had said.  
“Sorry. So here I am now.” She forced a cheerful smile, but Gabriel wasn’t fooled. He knew she was pained by the story. He was, too, but he wasn’t going to admit it.  
XXXXX  
Gabriel shut his eyes tightly and exhaled. Things were already getting complicated. He felt another emotion tug at his consciousness, but he ignored it. Probably just another stupid Parisian feeling sad and scared for no good reason. But as he lay there, the emotion got stronger and he begun to consider the idea. It would make a good Akuma—

He suddenly sat up. The emotion was coming from the house. His house. He suddenly realized who it belonged to. Nathalie.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer chapter today. Enjoy!

Gabriel quickly got out of bed in a hurry, half ran to the door and wrenched it open. Soon the man was walking as quickly as he could towards Nathalie’s room, passing Adrien’s door in the process. He reached her door and knocked. Before she even had a chance to let her boss in, Gabriel was already striding over to her bed. She was sitting up, her covers pulled around her, blue eyes scared as Gabriel turned on her bedside lamp. She was shivering and a few tears had stained her sheets. Duusu flied around her head in quick circles. But she moved away as soon as Gabriel reached Nathalie.  
“What’s wrong?” He asked gently. Nathalie suddenly burst into shaky sobs, and then tears. Gabriel knew she needed comfort and he sat next to her, putting an arm around her an letting the poor assistant sob into his shoulder (an unusual act of gentleness from the cold hearted designer).

“Nathalie? Why are you so sad? And scared?” he asked as soon as her crying had ceased. She still sniffed and he felt her shiver besides him. She was still afraid.   
“I had a… a really, really bad nightmare.” She sniffed. Another tear fell down and Gabriel found himself wiping it away with his thumb.  
“Now, Nathalie. You can tell me.” He said. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to do so, but I am here to listen.” Nathalie’s jaw trembled and she began to cry again.  
Did I do something wrong? Gabriel thought worriedly. Nathalie tried to even her breathing, but she still sobbed between words.  
“I- I watched you- you die.” She sobbed. Now she was crying harder. “I was use- useless. I was Mayura and I watched Chat- Chat Noir use his Cataclysm on y-you.” She wiped away her distressed tears and Gabriel felt his heart soften.  
“It’s alright, Nathalie. You are not useless. In fact, none of this would be possible without you.” He said, waving an arm at her room in reference to the mansion and his success in the industry of fashion.   
“But th-that’s not it.” Nathalie whispered, looking at him with sad eyes. “Adrien didn’t help you. He… he just w-watched you—”   
“Shh, Nathalie. You are making yourself feel worse.” Gabriel said softly, squeezing her shoulder.   
“I’m sorry, sir.” Nathalie said, straightening up slightly, trying to regain her professional pose.  
“You don’t have to be, Nat. Are you tired?” Gabriel asked. He knew that she was, but she was obviously afraid of falling into a nightmare again. She wasn’t going to admit it, though. “I can stay with you until you fall asleep,” he offered. Nathalie was about to refuse the offer, but she had better thoughts. She agreed.

Gabriel helped her into bed and then laid next to her on top of the covers as to not disturb her when he left. He turned off the lamp and they were in darkness once again. Nathalie slowly stopped shaking. She soon was in a state of shallow sleep. Gabriel turned his head a little to look at her. Maybe he could stay for a little longer.  
XXXXX  
Adrien woke up the next morning feeling tired and drowsy. It was Plagg who wrenched him out of that state.  
“Adrien, you have to come see this!” the little Kwuami said with a huge grin.  
“Please don’t tell me you bought more cheese with Father’s money,” The boy groaned. Plagg sighed.  
“I wish.” He said dreamily. “That would have been awesome.”  
“It that isn’t it, then what?” the boy said.   
“Come,” Plagg said, flying right through the door. Adrien silently opened it, slipping outside in his pajamas. Soon he was even more alert. Why was Plagg waiting for him at Nathalie’s door?   
“Plagg, what’s—” Adrien asked, but the cat put up a finger (more like it’s fingerless hand) and made a shushing noise. He beckoned that Adrien got closer and both of them looked at the room inside through the slightly open door. Adrien was shocked and slightly enthusiastic.  
“It looks like Father is finally moving on,” He whispered to Plagg. Gabriel slept besides Nathalie on her bed, dressed in his usual clothes. Nathalie was curled up next to him under the covers, her face peaceful. Plagg moved away from the door and moaned quietly.  
“I’m hungry.” He grumbled.   
“You are always hungry, Plagg. Admit it.” Adrien whispered, backing away from the door. The little Kwuami puffed up in indignation.  
“For cheese, Adrien. Do you have any left?” Plagg asked hopefully. Adrien sighed, taking out a piece of cheese from his pockets and giving it to him. The Kwuami gulped it down. 

Both of them froze when they heard a stir coming from the bedroom.  
“Come on!” Adrien hissed, and both of them ran (well, Plagg flied) back to his room.  
XXXXX  
Nathalie was the cause of the stir. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking the sunlight filtered by the curtains out of her eyes. She propped herself up on a shoulder and sat up. She nearly had a heart attack. Why was her boss, aka the millenary Gabriel Agreste and the villain Hawkmoth, laying next to her on her bed, deep in sleep.  
“What the hell,” Nathalie murmured. She slipped out of bed, putting on her glasses. Gabriel came much more into focus and so did the room. She walked to her bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. She truly looked exhausted. Then she remembered the nightmare the night before and sighed. Why had she let her fear out for Hawkmoth to sense? She heard a grunt coming from the other room and she walked outside, putting on her usual mask of hidden emotions. 

Gabriel was sitting up in bed and rubbing her head. He looked around confusedly, and then his eyes fell on Nathalie. The memories of the previous night came back to him. Ah. He acted normal.  
“Good morning, Nathalie.” He said calmly, getting off the bed and standing straight. He adjusted his candy cane colored tie and cleared his throat.  
“How did you sleep?” he asked Nathalie.   
“Untroubled. No nightmares.” She replied. The designer nodded and she nearly laughed. Was it just her imagination, or were his ears slightly red?  
“Good. I will be in my office if you need me.” He said. Then he walked outside. Nathalie sighed.  
“Oh, Gabriel.” She said, shaking her head and pulling her closet. Like always, she chose the professional clothes. Then she shut herself in the bathroom to change.  
XXXXX  
A few roads down away from the house, the loud sound of drums could be heard.   
“Miss!” Sunset cried over them. When the girl didn’t hear the Kwuami, she screeched it again at the top of her lungs. The girl stopped playing with an annoyed sigh.  
“What?” she asked.   
“You are being quite loud.” Sunset said. “Are you alright, Miss Olive?”   
“I am fine. But Sunset, remember what I told you about saying my name out loud?” Olive said. The little Kwuami clapped her hands over her little mouth.  
“Sorry, miss R!” she said, voice muffled. Olive nodded.  
“And I am quite alright. Just a little tired and… sad.” She said.  
“What happened wasn’t your fault.” Sunset said. “You where not even part of the nightmare.”  
“I still saw it, Sun.” Olive said, placing the drum sticks gently on the table. “I shouldn’t have, I couldn’t resist against the miraculous.”  
“You will learn to regain control soon, miss.” Sunset said, lading on the girl’s shoulders. “Trust me.”  
“Thank you for your support, Sun. I think it’s about time we pay a visit to Hawkmoth. He said he needed to know what I am capable of, right?”   
“Yes miss.” Sunset replied.   
“In that case… Sunset, spread my wings!”


	6. Chapter 6

Hawkmoth watched as Dark Raven worked, swirling the dark bubble with her fingers. Her face had lines of concentration as she worked on the nightmare. She would brush away the butterflies that came too close. Hawkmoth could feel her excitement growing with the bubble, which was now the size of a football. When she was done, she held it up, the round, black swirling bubble floating above her hands.   
“I call this,” she said, “Hawkmoth’s worse nightmare.”  
“Is it safe?” Hawkmoth asked.  
“Of course it is, sir.” Dark raven said. “I won’t let it hurt you. I can control it now.”  
“So I hope. What do you need?” he asked.   
“Hold out your cane.” Dark Raven said. He did, and Dark Raven gently placed the bubble on top of the ball etched on the cane. It seeped into the cane, turning it black. 

“And now?” Hawkmoth asked.  
“Let yourself sink into the nightmare.” Dark Raven said. She motioned for him to sit down in front of her.   
“Is this going to hurt?” Hawkmoth asked.  
“No. But it will scare you. Ready?” Dark Raven said. A pause. Then Hawkmoth nodded. She raised her hands and flicked them. The sides of Hawkmoth’s vision begun turning black. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, everything was pitch black around him.  
“What do you see?” a voice echoed. He could feel his heart beat quickening. He felt a familiar presence, but he didn’t know who it was.  
“Black.” He whispered. There was a silence. Then Gabriel had the urge to stand up. He did. The darkness was beginning to lighten, and he noticed that he was no longer Hawkmoth. His transformation had dropped.   
“Just in your head, sir.” Dark Raven’s voice informed him. “Get ready.” A few beats passed before anything else happened.  
“Father?” Gabriel whirled around and found Adrien standing a far way off. He seemed to glow, his blonde hair glowing gold in the pitch darkness. Gabriel took a step forwards. Adrien took a step back.  
“Son?” Gabriel asked. He began running forwards, but with each step he took, Adrien seemed to retrocede back even further. The boy’s glow disappeared, leaving Gabriel alone again.  
“Adrien?” Gabriel called. No answer. He knew that this was just his mind, but it felt too realistic. The darkness around him begun to move with dizzying speed. Gabriel shut his eyes tightly, sinking down to the floor in a squatting position. 

A hacking cough sent his eyes flying open. He looked up and saw not Nathalie, but Mayura crouching. In front of her stood Chat Noir and Ladybug. Gabriel sprang to his feet. Ladybug stood back and Chat Noir grinned.  
“Cataclism!” He called. Gabriel’s heart dropped.  
“No! Nathalie!” He shouted, but it was too late. Chat Noir touched Mayura on the shoulder and she gasped, turning into rust and disintegrating before Gabriel’s eyes.  
“YOU MONSTERS!” he roared, running at Chat Noir. He was thrown off balance once again, sent plummeting down a dark hole. Chat Noir and Ladybug where gone. Nathalie was gone. He was falling like his tears. He hit hard, an explosion of black smoke bursting around him to reveal white tiled floor. He slowly got to his feet, wiping away his tears. He was in his mansion, back in his Hawkmoth costume. He looked up and saw Adrien, frozen at the top of the stairs.  
“Son—” he begun to say, but Adrien was backing away now.  
“Get out of here!” he screamed. “Father! FATHER!”   
“Adrien, it’s me!” it was too late when Gabriel realized his mistake. Tears streaked down Adrien’s face.  
“No.” the boy whispered. “It- it can’t be.” Then he was running, slamming the door of his bedroom shut. Gabriel’s transformation dropped as he ran up to his son’s room, ignoring Nooroo’s shouts. But when he opened the bedroom door, all he found was one of the windows open, the wind blowing in. He felt his own tears falling.  
“Hawkmoth. Hawkmoth. Gabriel!” His eyes opened suddenly. He was back in his lair, white butterflies flying all around him. Dark Raven was leaning over him, and he saw the bubble in her hands.   
“Get that thing away from me!” He said weakly.  
“Sir, it’s alright.” He recognized Nathalie’s voice behind him. She had her arms around him, holding him together. He had indeed dropped his transformation. Dark Raven clapped her hands together and the bubble burst into black sparks.

“Gabriel?” She asked.   
“What was that?” he whispered. But he already knew.   
“The nightmare was a little bit too strong.” She answered.  
“Do you need anything?” Nathalie asked.  
“Perhaps some tea will help him.” Dark Raven suggested. “Let’s get him to a couch.” They both helped him to stand, setting him down gently on the couch at the edge of the lair. Nathalie left to get him some tea.  
“I’m sorry.” Dark Raven told Gabriel.   
“That is what you can do?” he asked, slowly regaining his calmness.  
“Even worse. But if that was bad for you…” she replied.   
“Incredible.” Gabriel sat up straighter. “Do you know how many negative emotions you can provoke with a bad nightmare?”  
“I guess quite a few.” Dark Raven said. “But creating a nightmare is not easy. It’s… tiering. Drains you of energy depending on the level.”  
“I see. But consider it. It would come of great help.” Gabriel said. Dark Raven quieted.  
“Anything that will help bring Grandpa back.” She said seriously.   
“Sir, your tea is ready.” Nathalie said, coming in. She held a tray with three cups. The villains settled into silence, each one lost in their thoughts as they sipped the tea. Gabriel felt as if victory would soon be theirs. Now they had someone who could inflict negative emotions by creating nightmares. He inwardly grinned. Soon he would be with Emilie. Adrien would have his mother back and he would never know who Hawkmoth was. They would be a family once again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this friend of mine has been badgering me for her to get a dedication. So here it is.   
> This chapter is dedicated to you, Lulu, for your ever lasting happiness (and a good sense of humor!). TwT Happy?  
> Well then lets get on with the show!

"Miss R?" Sunset asked slowly. Olive stopped pacing.  
"What?"  
"Are you quite alright?"  
"Of course I am! I'm... just a little..." Olive searched for the right word. She sighed, falling down in the edge of her bed. Sunset landed on her right shoulder and patted her mistress' cheek.  
"It's alright to feel worried, Miss." The Kwuami said. Olive buried her face in her hands and sighed.  
"I don't feel worried, Sun. I feel... guilty. Hawkmoth could have lost his sanity thankz to my stupid creation. Not only that, but we wouldn't be able to bring Granpa back." She said, he voice muffled. Sunset brushed back a strand of the girl's hair in order to see her eyes.  
"There's nothing to regret. Mr. Hawkmoth is fine. Normal." she said gently. Olive straightened up.  
"He is. But... it could have still happened." she said. Sunset took off, returning moments later with Olive's drumsticks.  
"Play a little." she said, setting them on the bed besides Olive. The girl pcked them up with a small smile.  
"You alays seem to know what I need." she said, walking over to her drums kit. Sunset dove underneath the bed sheets as Olive began to play a fast rythm.  
XXXXX  
Back at the mansion, Gabriel couldn't go to sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes, he would be enhulfed by the dark and taken back to that horrible place he had visited hours earlier. So he just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to the cars outside. He sighed, sitting up. He should at least do something useful instead of lying in bed for hours till the sun rose up. Gabriel padded over to his bedroom door and silently opened it. He walked outside to his office, stood in front of Emilie's portrait an pressed the hidden buttons. The bloor began to sink under him as he was taken to his lair. He sometimes wondered how only he and Nathalie were the only ones in th house aware of it. He had spected Adrien to find it sooner or later, but Gabriel saw it better that it stayed a secret for now. He reached the lair and the butterflies rose around him like a white cloud in the moolinght. He didn't transform. He wanted to pay his wife a visit before he began.

He walked down the cat walk, past the evergreen bushes and came to a stop in front of tue coffin. Emilie's face was peaceful. She was just waiting to being woken up. Pity it can't be done like in fairytales, Gabriel throught with a sigh.  
" We will get her back." he whirled around. Since when had Nathalie been standing there? He turned back to the coffin.  
"With help like yours, soon." he said. He felt Nathalie come closer to stand by his side.  
"Imterestimg that we got this far, right?" she asked softly.  
"Right." Gabriel whispered. It truly was.

They stood there for a long time, content in silence.  
"When will you tell Adrien?" Nathalie asked.   
"As soon as he's able to understand what this is for. Then I will tell him. But now... to know that your own father was lying to you and was Hawkmoth himself..."   
"I understand, sir." Nathalie said. A long pause filled in with silence. "How do you feel?" Gabriel bit his lip.  
"I can't sleep." he said.   
"Is it because...?"   
"It's been bothering me. Nathalie... you don't think it has a meaning behind it?"  
"Sir, I didn't see it." Nathalie said. Gabriel, with much dificulty, told her about the nightmare.   
"God, Gabriel." Nathalie said after he had finished. His hands shook slightly and he stuffed them into his pant's pockets. "Do you need tea?"  
"No. I'm fine." Nathalie sighed.  
"Sir, you really have to stop lying to me. Don't I tell you--" She stoped, then formulated the sentence in a gente tone. "What you need to know, sir, is that with me you don't have to hide. I tell you the truth. Now you have to tell me the truth." There was a long silence.  
"Damn, Nathalie, since when have you become so convincing?" Gabriel asked with a wry smile.

What none of them knew is that Nooroo and Duusu where watching them, hidden in one of the bushes. Duusu turned to look at Nooroo with a grin.  
"You owe me some cofee."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added in some comedy to this chapter. Enjoy!

A few days passed by in a blur of villains. No one knew how Hawkmoth was finding so much time to terrorize Paris. Even Ladybug had begun trying to find answers. It had been only thanks to Dark Raven’s knack of scaring people with nightmares and Nathalie’s scheduling skills that Hawkmoth had gotten such time to do it. At first, Dark Raven had been at an unease. On the first day, she had to excuse herself and shut herself in one of the many toilets in the mansion to have a small talk with Sunset.  
“I don’t know if I will be able to control it, Sun.” she had said. Her Kwuami had moved forward to float in front of her face.  
“Let me remind you that you didn’t drive Miss Mayura and Mister Hawkmoth crazy when you used your powers on them.” She said kindly.  
“But it could happen again,” Olive whispered, dragging a hand down her face. Sunset patted her cheek.  
“It won’t. I will help you this time.” Sunset said. Olive smiled.  
“Thank you.”

Over the following days, she had gotten to use her powers. Every day she looked forward to the nights, in which she would meet with Hawkmoth (and occasionally Nathalie) in his lair and watch him work after she had inflicted the negative emotion. And every day, they seemed to get even closer to getting the jewels. The taste of victory was beginning to appear in their mouths.   
“Soon. Soon we will defeat Ladybug and Chat Noir.” Hawkmoth said, grinning. They had failed, but it had been close. Dark Raven grinned too.  
“I can taste victory already.” She said. The butterflies settled as the window shut, keeping the lair in semi-darkness. Hawkmoth’s transformation dropped and he headed for the exit. Dark Raven followed after him, still grinning. They went back up to Gabriel’s office, where Nathalie was finishing up her day’s work. She looked up from her computer and adjusted her glasses.   
“How was it?” she asked.  
“Failed, but I have a feeling that we will succeed soon.” Gabriel said, sitting down at his desk.   
“I can see that.” Nathalie said, one of her eyebrows arching an inch in quiet amusement. “Sir, Audrey Burgeois wants to—”   
Suddenly the door opened and Dark Raven instinctively dove under Gabriel’s desk and hid there just as Adrien came in.   
“It’s late.” She heard Gabriel say. “You should be in bed.”  
“Yes, I just wanted to see if Nathalie could move around a couple of things in my schedule.” Dark Raven peered through one of the cracks and watched as Adrien came deeper in the room, a little hesitantly. She could picture Gabriel’s eyes narrowing and his back straightening.  
“What for?” He asked.  
“Tomorrow my friends are going to go to—” Adrien was cut off by his father.  
“When?”  
“Around five pm to seven—” Dark Raven heard Gabriel snap his fingers.  
“Nathalie, clear whatever shoot he has tomorrow.” Dark Raven grinned when she saw Adrien’s mouth drop open.  
“Wow, Father, thank—”   
“If you don’t go to your room, I will cancel it.” Gabriel warned. This time, Raven heard the tiredness in his voice. The boy smiled widely and bid them both good night, running off and slamming the door shut behind him. Gabriel sighed and Dark Raven crawled out of her hiding spot.  
“Nathalie, you can go home as soon as you are done.” Gabriel said, waving her off. She nodded and begun to work on Adrien’s schedule. He turned to Dark Raven, who stood patiently by the door.  
“Same time tomorrow?” She asked. Gabriel grinned.  
“I count on it. We will get our hands on the jewels and we will win the war.” He said, walking out into the corridor. “Good night.”  
“See you tomorrow.” Dark Raven said, opening a window and slipping outside. Nathalie finished her work and turned off the computer, standing up. 

Minutes later, she was walking back to her apartment. There was no one out so Duusu had the rare opportunity to float besides her, flying around happily.   
“I wish Nooroo could come on walks like these.” The little Kwuami said happily. Nathalie gave her a smile. She always reserved them for Duusu, Adrien and (of course) Gabriel. Rare smiles.  
“He would enjoy it. But not as much as you,” she added, watching as Duusu inspected a display of sweets behind the glass of one of the shops. Duusu was secretly adding this as one of the things she and Nooroo should get their masters to do. The little Kwuami of emotion believed that Gabriel was wasting his time trying to get his wife back. After all, she didn’t miss the attention he gave Nathalie. Nope, not at all. If only Nooroo felt the same way about them…  
XXXXX  
Back at the mansion, Plagg was bothering Adrien (again). The poor boy had to endure the Kwuami’s moaning as her (tried) to complete his homework.  
“Pleeeeeeeeeeaseeeeeeee!” Plagg moaned, floating in front of Adrien. He simply pushed him aside and tried to concentrate on the equation.  
6t= 54 6t give me some cheese= 54t 6t please=…  
“FINE!” Adrien cried, throwing his hands up. He was already tired of having to fight off Hawkmoth’s many akumas and he didn’t need Plagg’s moaning too. He opened the safe and took out some camembert, giving it to his ‘hungry’ Kwuami, sitting back at his desk with an ever suffering sigh. He continued on his homework, listening to Plagg munch on his cheese like a pig. Adrien never fully understood why the Kwuami liked it. He really wished he could eat something else instead of cheese. Why not… milk? Like normal cats? But then, the Kwuami wasn’t a cat. 

Adrien finished his homework and sighed contently. He looked at Plagg, who gave him kitten eyes.  
“Can you give m—”  
“No, Plagg. You already ate a big slice.” Adrien said. The Kwuami groaned.  
“But I will need extra energy for tomorrow.” He said. “You know, to defeat Hawkmoth again.”  
“He might not even send another akuma.” Adrien said flatly. He was trying to lie to himself, but it had gone on for too long. He would have to fight an unseen villain for God knows how long. Adrien ignored Plagg’s protests as he got ready for bed. Plagg sighed as Adrien fell into sleep. He could just steal the cheese, anyways.


	9. Chapter 9

The next few days was when the spiral of bad luck really did begin to take shape. Dark Raven had agreed to arrive at the mansion every day as soon as dark settled in Paris. She arrived at the mansion, quietly opening the window and slipped inside. She closed the window and drew the courtains over it, cutting the moonlight out. What happened next was what should be in a list of Least Wanted Moments.  
"Hello?" She didn't have to turn around to know it was the youngest Agreste standing at the other end of the hallway. She was grateful for the dark as she turned around, half hidden in the shadows, and broke at a quick run down an unkown hallway that hadn't been walked upon for God-knew-how-long. She heard Adrien's footsteps close behind her.  
"Hey! Come back!" he cried. Quick as a doe, she dived into the nearest room she came across and slipped behing the door. She held her breath as Adrien ran past her, the boy unaware that the villain was close. So close and yet so far.

Dark Raven waited for thirty seconds untill she finally exhaled quietly in relief, walking out into the corridor and going back on her tracks, taking the path to Gabriel's office. This time, she kept quiet like a mouse. She reached his door and was about to open it, but she stopped short when she heard a couple of voices inside the room speaking quietly.  
"... are you quite sure we can trust her?" Nathalie's voice said. Dark Rsven's eyes narrowed. Were they talking about her?  
"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked. A short pause.  
"Sir, she seems to relish in causing fear to others." Nathalie said. "You've seen her. She did seem a little unconfortable at first... but now she doesn't seem focused on the Goal." Dark Raven's neck hair bristled. Not focused on getting her grandfather back?  
"She's probably taking all that wait off her shoulders. She has us now. You know, picture it this way. I'm not a total failure as a villain because I have you to discuss plans with. That's probably what's happening to her, Nat."   
"Sir... I don't feel like she's telling the entire truth about her miraculous. What if it's still broken? I mean, it's from another box. The damage could be easy to hide." 

In Dark Raven's head, she heard Sunset's voice.  
"Miss, I would never do that. The jewel is not broken."  
"I know that, Sunset." Dark Raven mentally replied. She directed her focuss back to tje conversation.  
"... could be true, but I don't feel any guilt or anger." Gabriel was saying.   
"Just... just consider it," Nathalie said. Dark Raven had grown to understand that Nathalie and Gabriel had a strong bond. Not only that, but Nathaleie had a strong effect on her boss when it came to suggestions and advice (she and Sunset sometimes wondered why they hadn't gotten married yet). She sighed inwardly, wondering if she would be able to trust Nathalie after hearing what she had said. She pasted on her best smile and opened the office door. Gabriel sat at his desk and Nathalie stood close by, looking at something in he tablet. Both of tjem looked up.  
"Good night, Raven" Gabriel said politely. "We need to have a short talk." 

Raven invited herself to sit on ome of the couches.   
"What is it?" she asked.   
"Well, first is that we were thinking... Ladybug and Chat Noir don't know about you, so we could introduce you to their game." She raised an eyebrow.   
"You mean that I present myself to them?"   
"In a dream." Nathalie added.  
"Sound.good. Anything else?"  
"We can't keep many secrets from each other anymore... Are you willing to reveal your identity?" There was a rather long pause after Gabriel said thse words. Dark Raven cut the silence.  
"Can I trust you if I do so?" she slowly asked. Both adults nodded. "If you reveal it, I swear on my life that I will haunt your dreams with nightmares for ten years. No. The rest of your lives." She was only half joking, but she wasn't either. Both adults stayed quiet. For a very long time.  
"I agree to the terms." Nathalie said. She gave Gabriel a look. 'Anithing to bring your wife back, sir' it seemed to say. Gabriel was never stopped asking himsef what he had done to deserve such a loyal friend. He nodded too. Dark Raven fixed them both with a hard stare untill she formed the de transformation sentence, the wall she had heen hiding behind for so long finallu shattered with one last blow. Sunset flew over to her shoulder, sitting there quietly. Today (actually, tonight) Olive was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt with the jurassic park sign and shorts. Still, she felt naked in front of the adults without her Dark Raven costume on her.


	10. Chapter 10

Hawkmoth's attacks suddenly begun to decrease. Instead of happening every day, now it was just eveey other day of the week. Most were happy about this change, but there was one person who was being clouded by fustration and a small spark of anger. Olive was beggining to doubt if she would get her grandfather back. Sunset aways told her that she would. That she nedn't worry because.it would happen sooner or later. Even Hawkmoth noticed changes in her misterious and sometimes sarcastic charactor, but neither he nor Nathalie said a thing. Meanwile, Ladybug and Chat Noir were slightly paranoid. Was Hawkmoth going to somehow attack them? Change the course of the game?

Olive arrived at the Agreste mansion only to find Nathalie and Gabriel waiting for her in his office, both of them wearing their poker face expresions.  
"Today's plan?" Dark Raven asked.   
"Want to give our enemies a good nightmare?" Gabriel asked. Dark Raven gave him a small sure smile.  
"Why not?" She asked. "Double?"  
"As you please. Let's go down to the lair. Nathalie, you may come with us. Did you get the tea ready?"  
"Just like you asked, sir." Nathalie replied. 

Soon the three of them stood in front of the butterfly window, bathed in moonlight. The butterflied fluttered around them, sencsing their excitement. Dark Raven created a single dark, swirling sphere, letting it foat on the tips of her fingers.  
"Who shall I do first?" she asked Hawkmoth. The villain anwsered right away.  
"Ladybug." he said. Dark Raven nodded and blew on the bubble, making it float out the window towards it's sleeping victim.

At the Dupain-Cheng bakery, everything was quiet. The only one awake was Tikki, the ladybug Kuami, who was bussy eating a macaron. Marinette, aka Ladybug, lay in bed, asleep. Tikki didn't notice the bubble aproach her misstress, well hidden by the shadows. As soon as it made contact with the sleeping teenager, it seeped into her skin. Marinette was ripped away from her current dream (which somehow involved a very famous model) and thrust into a dark world, bathed in shadows.  
Back at the lair, Dark Raven watched from Ladybug's perpective as the bubble took her mind over. She stablished a hidden conection and gave a thumbs up to Hawkmoth and Nathalie.   
Ladybug had taken a few steps foward before Dark Raven begun to take control.of her dream. She moved her hands, as.if conducting an orchestra. Marinette was soon afronted by a very angry Chat Noir.  
"Look at what you have done!" she made him say. Marinette took a few steps back and Dark Raven felt a mix of fear and confusion coming from her.   
"What are you talking about?" the girl asked. Dark Raven gritted her teeth at what she was going to do next.  
"You failed Paris." she made him whisper. She mad the words scho and then she swept her hand, and he was blown away like ashes in the wind. Ladybug took a couple of steps foward before Daek Raven painted the backround around her as Paris. aNot the Paris they knew. The Paris they feared.

The buildings were broken. The Eiffel Tower no longer stood proud and tall, but it had somehow been knocked down like a chess piece, having crushed half the buildings in it's way. Dark Raven felt grief flow out of the heroine she had in possesion. She slowly made the world black again. It stayed like that before Dark Raven painted a perfect image of herself in front of Ladybug.  
"I feel your pain. Your grief. But I can help you." she said.   
"Who are you?" Ladybug asked.  
"My name is Dark Raven and I am offering you an easy way oit of this conflict." She replied. "Hand over your miraculous as soon as possible to Jawkmoth and all will be stopped."  
"Never." Laybug snarled. Dark Raven raised her eyebrows.  
"Think about it. Please." she said. And then she let go of her mind. The bubble soon entered the silent lair.  
"Shall I do Chat Noir?" she asked, breaking the silence.  
"They will be suspicious if they get ther same message. Better wait untill tomorrow, when they have talked over it." Nathalie suggested.   
"Good point." Hawkmoth agreed. Dark Raven agreed. After all, she needed the plan to work. And for that, she needed to trick the heroes to give them teir jewels. She clenched her fists. She woud achieve what she had worked hard for. She would.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Craapity craaaaptity crap!  
> I can't believe I kept you guys waiting for so long. I apologize

"Are you quite sure about this, Mi lady?" Chat asked. Ladybug nodded.  
"I am positive. Hawkmoth has another villain on his side. The dream... My kwuami said she saw a dark thing floating out my window."  
"I guess that's why they say keep the windows closed."  
"Never mind. We need to find out more about this villain."  
"Pawsome." Chat purred, leaning on his staff. For a long time, the superheroes just stood there in silence, staring at the raising sun.  
XXXXX  
"Sunset?" Olive asked. Her kwuami didn't anwser. She just floated in front of the window quietly. "Sunset?"  
"Wha-" Sunset shook her little head and turned around. "Sorry?"  
"Sunset, you keep getting these odd trances. Are you alright?" Olive asked, a slight crease on her eyebrows. Sunset smiled.  
"I am." she said cheerfully. In fact, a little cheerfully. Olive deepened her frown and softened her voice when she spoke.  
"Sunset... you don't look like you are 'fine'" she said, letting the kwuami settle on the palm of her hand.  
"Don't worry, but to tell the truth, I don't feel fine either." she said in a quiet voice. Olive's eyes widened.  
"The miraculous is not broken, is it?"  
"I would know if it was, Miss R! At least I think so." she added. "I- I just need a little rest and something to nibble on."  
"Would you do good with a cookie?" Olive asked, opening a drawer and taking out a tin.  
"You are too kind." Sunset said. Olive gave her a cookie which the Kwuami happily munched on and then walked over to the bean bag in the corner of her room, setling down with her laptop on her lap. She logged in and entered the Ladyblog. The latest news were satisfying: she and Hawkmoth had created a villain able to created nightmares. It had created chaos in Paris that night. Kind of like a nightmare. Olive knew that sooner or later she would get her way and bring her grandfather back.  
XXXXX  
"Nathalie, what do you think?" Gabriel asked, holding up his sketch pad fir Nathalie to see the new dress he had just drawn.  
"Pretty impresive sir. But it might show just a little too much skin..." the asistant replied. Gabriel gave her one of his rare smiles and continued to work on his designs. Nathalie's phone rang and she looked at her boss.  
"It's Adrien." she said.  
"Pick it up." he said with a sigh. Nathalie did.  
"Hello? Yor father's bussy. Aha. Okay, wait a moment." she looked at Gabriel. "He's asking if he can go with his friends." Gabriel meditated this for a moment.  
"Tell him to send a text message every thirty minutes and to be back by five o'clock for his photo shoot." he replied. Nathalie smiled in an aproving way and told this to Adrien. Little did he know that the young Agreste was only telling half truth. Adrien was going to be back by five, but he was going to have a meeting with a certain superheroine. Well, more specified, a certain supervillain.

XXXXX  
"I see you have come." The dark shadow mused, watching Chat Noir jump down.  
"Don't get too excited. All I want to know is what is your bssiness in Paris." He growled. The villain chucked. "What's so funny?"  
"I never expected that the famous Chat Noir was the famous Adrien Agreste." Before he could express his shock, she continued speaking. "You give me your miraculous and your identity will stay safe. Not only that, you'll have it back. I give you one week and I hope you will transmit the message to our dear Ladybug. Agreed? Good." and then she was gone. Leaving the cat alone with his confused mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God knows what will happen next.


	12. Chapter 12

"Why did you do it without consulting us first?!" Hawmoth asked, his face drawn into a frown. Dark Raven inspected the nails on her left hand.  
"Because we had to act. It was now or never, butterfly. And I can guarantee the cat will show up."  
"You didn't tell him to meet you in the lair, did you?" Hawkmoth groaned. Why didn't anyone listen to him? [duh, because he is terrorizing Paris without trying to ask for the jewes first]  
"I'm not stupid, Gabriel. And no, I did not." Dark Raven replied. She let her hands drop to her sides. "Where's Nathalie?"  
"She had anothe coughing attack, so I made her go to the guest room to get some rest." Hawkmoth sighed.  
"Oooookay, then. Shall we begin?" Dark Raven asked, flexing her hands. Hawkmoth stood up straight, stting a hand on his cane and grinning.  
"With pleasure. God knows, we might get those jewels tonight!"  
XXXXX  
"Adrien, don't be stupid, please don't go, I'm beging you." Plagg said in a flat tone, munching on his cheese.  
"I think we should. We might find a hint of where Hawkmoth is hiding." The boy said.  
"Oh well, I tried."  
"Plagg, claws-" suddenly there was a loud BOOM that shook the entire mansion. Well, to be more specific, all of Paris. Adrien nearly fell back and he held on to the back of his weeled chair.  
"Looks like Hawkmoth has made another villain," he sighed. "Plagg, claws out!" and soon he was climbing out the window, a faint taste if cheese in his mouth.  
"Chat!" He stopped running for a moment amd waited for Ladybug to catch up.  
"Mi lady, I have important news." he said.  
"If it's another love declaration, then save it. Let's get moving!" she said, running ahead of him. He felt a prickle of annoyance in him. She was always making assumptions and his love for her wasn't a joke.  
Still, he ran after her, ever the loyal soldier.  
XXXXX  
"Hawkmoth, Ladybug and Chat Noir are arriving at the scene." Dark Raven said.  
"Like they always do. Let's give them a good lesson." pun, since the akumatized person was a fustrated teacher.  
"What, like, math and algebra?" she teased.  
"Even worse." A pause.  
"... Science?"  
XXXXX  
"Well, won't you look at that." Chat Noir said, pointing at the passive blackboard floating on top of the Tower Eiffel.  
"They are not about to scolarize people, are they?" they heard a girl ask her scared mother. Gloating just besides the blackboard was a little figure of a perso, dressed in jet black and neon green. There were little flashes on their suit, shaped as math symbols.

"Yes, fear me, Mathetimaticor!" The villain said, his voice somehow booming out.  
"Honestly, sometimes I wonder how Hawkmoth comes up with those names." Chat said in a flat voice.  
"Never mind that. Shall we get to work?"  
"With pleasure, milady."  
XXXXX  
"Shall I make a mathematical earthquake?" Dark Raven asked.  
"Sounds terrifying. Do it." Hawkmoth said, watching as Mathematicor the two superheroes run towards him.  
Heroes are always remembered, but legends never die. And this event was going to become a nightmare for sure. Dark Raven raised up her arms, eyes closed in concentration. The ground begun to shake. The nightmare had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Le me just say that the reason this new akuma is a math akuma is because I REALLY don't like math and because i just had the crazy idea. pls coment on what you think


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I had to keep you guys waiting for so long, but, you know, life's hard.

The ground begun to shake and the screams started as cracks suddenly broke through the ground. Mathematicor gave a high-pitched evil cackle, throwing up his arms, tailcoat flowing behind him.  
“I think the Akuma must be in the blackboard!” Chat Noir shouted.   
“So do I. Are you up for distracting wile I get close enough?” Ladybug asked. Chat grinned widely.  
“As a fact, I am.” He said before jumping off with his staff. Ladybug watched as the leather clad cat got close enough to Mathematicor to be spotted. The villain raised both his arms in front of him and a bright blue blast erupted from them. Chat thankfully realized they were directed to him in time to jump out of the way. The blast hit the lamppost he had been perched on and it suddenly exploded with blue light. Ladybug decided that it was time to act before Mathematicor ended up ruining all of Paris. A shiver traveled up her spine. Had the dream she had had a few nights ago…? She pushed away this thought to the back of her mind and concentrated on getting to the blackboard.  
XXXXX  
“Oh wow, the cat is smarter than we gave him credit for,” Dark Raven said, watching as Chat avoided each and every blast that Mathematicor tried to hit him with.   
“It won’t continue like this for much longer,” Hawkmoth said. The door of the lair suddenly burst open and Nathalie appeared at the entrance.  
“Sir! Adrien’s not in his room!” she said. Hawkmoth broke his connection with the villain.  
“You mean he’s out there?” the villain cried. “Dark Raven, get rid of that earthquake!” Dark Raven did as she was told. But she wished it could have continued. It was already beginning to feel like they were going to win for once and for all!   
“Nathalie?” Hawkmoth asked.  
“I’m listening, sir.” His assistant said.  
“Can you track Adrien and bring him back as soon as possible?” he asked. She nodded.  
“We’ll be back before you know it, sir.” She said, turning to leave.  
“And Nathalie?” she turned her head to look at her boss. “Please be careful.” 

Dark Raven internally grinned. There it was again. That softness in his voice when he cared about her. Nathalie smiled.  
“You know I will.” She said, leaving. Hawkmoth turned back to the window. Dark Raven didn’t even have to see through the villain’s mask to know that he had a light blush.  
“Let’s get back to work. No earthquakes until Nathalie and Adrien return.” He added. Dark Raven nodded.  
“It’s a pity, but I will do something less dangerous.” She said. Regaining her connection with the bubble, she begun forming a less dangerous nightmare, but still terrifying.  
XXXXX  
“Come on, old man! This cat wants to exercise!” Chat shouted at Mathematicor, a huge grin on his face. No one knew how the cat was able to get on villain’s nerves. It just happened. Science.  
“Oh, I will give you exercise!” Mathematicor shrieked, shooting beam after beam. Chat evaded all of them, making the villain yell in frustration and fire more wildly. Chat got a flash of red and black. Ladybug was getting closer to the blackboard. Soon all of this would be over. He really hoped that his father hadn’t realized that he was gone. He barely evaded one of the beams, which singed a part of his tail. In his mind, he hear Plagg hiss and swear in an unknown language.

“Ah, not so funny anymore, are we?” the villain cackled. Chat’s ears rotated back and his eyes narrowed. “Children these days. Not even educated. Your parents—” he suddenly stopped, whirling around. Chat’s heart dropped like a stone. Ladybug was moving up towards the giant blackboard, half hidden by the metal of the Eiffel Tower. But Mathematicor had seen her.   
Oh shit.  
“No way you are touching MY blackboard!” Mathematicor cried. He did a sweeping motion with his hand and white words begun to appear on the black surface, as if an invisible hand was writing with invisible chalk. It read ‘rule number one: students don’t touch the blackboard unless instructed to do so’. The chalk begun to glow. Ladybug was so close now. She jumped forward and SLAM! An invisible barrier barred her way. The heroine stumbled back, her hands on her face. And Chat’s heart seemed to stop beating. She was falling. One little mistake would cost her life. He abandoned his fight and ran to his Lady, jumping off the roof of the building he had been standing on and using his staff to propel himself forward, stretching out his arms, ready to catch the falling heroine. 

Each second passed in slow motion. The black hero sailing forward, arms outstretched, Ladybug falling, seemingly unconscious thanks to the hit she had taken. Suddenly, they collided, Chat holding her tightly as he landed on the roof of another building and rolling to a stop. For a short while, he just lay there, Ladybug laying just besides him. Huh. It had succeeded. But he was pulled back into action when there was a rumble from the sky. He looked up. The sky had been clear before. Now it was cloudy, a storm building up. He painfully stood up, stretching his back, and walked towards Ladybug. She lay on her back, eyes open and shocked, mouth ajar.   
“My Lady? Are you—?” Chat begun to ask, but the sky rumble again. Ladybug slowly sat up.   
“W- what happened?” she asked, her voice weak.  
“You hit some kind of invisible barrier when you tried to get to the black board,” He replied, helping her up. She brought up a hand to her forehead.  
“I think I’m going to get a head ache.” She grimaced. “Yep, there it is.”  
“You can go take a rest. I will deal with the villain. Probably feed your Kwuami.” Chat suggested.  
“But—” Ladybug was interrupted by a loud beep coming from her earrings.  
“I’ll be fine. Now go.” Chat said. Ladybug bit her lip. Another beep. She sighed and nodded.  
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” She said. Chat grinned.  
“I somehow know you will.” He said, turning away. He jumped off the building just as Ladybug left, heading for the nearest alley. 

Chat glared at the villain. Oh, he was going to make Hawkmoth pay for what he had done to his Bug.   
XXXXX  
“Oh, will you look at that!” Dark Raven said. “Our Chat has gotten angry. Hawkmoth, I suggest you protect the villain from the cat’s claws.”  
“Already did. Chat Noir won’t be able to get to him.” Hawkmoth said. He spoke to the villain in his head. “Now, Mathematicor, this is your chance. Ladybug’s not here yet. You can concentrate on getting Chat Noir’s miraculous.”   
“As you wish, Hawkmoth.” The villain replied. Meanwhile, Dark Raven was molding the storm about to hit Paris. She wondered if she would be strong enough to control lightning without hitting anyone. Or maybe a rain flood? She would have to try step by step.  
XXXXX  
“Here you go,” Marinette said, handing Tikki a cookie. “But eat quickly. Chat needs our help.”  
“I’ll try to do that.” Tikki replied weakly, beginning to eat the treat.   
“Does your head still hurt?” the teen ager asked.  
“It does.” The Kwuami said.  
“I’ll take you to Master Fu once all this madness is done.” The little being nodded, eating the cookie as fast as she could. Sometimes she wondered how it was that Plagg could just stuff a massive piece of cheese in one go. But then, that cat’s throat was as big as his appetite. She finished the cookie and Marinette inspected her for any injuries.   
“Okay, then. Tikki, spots on!” Soon Ladybug was jumping towards the scene, in which Chat was somehow evading all of the blasts Mathematicor shot at him. She needed a better plan to get to the heavily protected blackboard. She gritted her teeth.  
“Well played, Hawkmoth.” She muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Satisfied?


	14. Chapter 14

[I'm actually sirprised I got up to 14 chapters. But then, I did write a novel in a month...  
Anyways, I'm sorry I couldn't post earlier, but I've been preparing for a writer's fare and my goal is at east three stories, each twenty pages long (calculated as a word document).  
Also, thank you al for leaving Kudos and comments on my work (specially Siberwhisperer who left comments on every chapter and had a nice chat about tea in one of tjem). So here's chapter 14] [Sorry, I meant to put tjis in notes (#*_*#) oops]

Nathalie was unusially stressed, her hands right around the steering weel. The streets were filled with Parisians trying to escape the center of the city, were the ongoing battle between the so-called Mathematicor, Adybug anc Chat Noir was still in process. Nathalie had been anoyed. Why hadn't Gabriel sent an akuma when Adrien was safely at home and not where-god-knows-where? She sometimes wanted to slap her boss right across the face and knock some common sense in him. She let out a troubled breath, turning the corner of the strret. She gasped and pressed down the brake of her car, which skidd to a stop.  
"Holy-" she muttered, taking in the destroyed street. She slaed her head on the steering weel with a gutural groan. Why was Gabriel making it so hard for her?!

She stepped out of the car and took in the scene around her. Would it be hard to get the car acro--?  
There was a sudden screech and she looked up in time to see a rpad sign begin to fall. She gasped, jumping out of the way as it slammed on top of her car, creating dents on the hull. For a moment, she just stared at the car. For on ce, she hoped that Ladybug's powers would be able to fix it. She sighed, shoulders slumping, and set out at a brisk pace to find Adrien.

XXXX  
Meanwhile, the figjt was getting harder on top of the Eiffel tower. Both Ladybug and Chat Noir had reached an umspoken agreement: this villain was smarter than the others they had battled. But then, he WAS a teacher...   
"Here, kitty kitty kitty!" Mathematicor cracled, shooting at Chat once again. Chat was beggining to get tired, each mobe he made with less effort. He was tying his best, reay, but evem Ladybug knew that they needed a proper plan. She waved over for him to come over to her. He nodded, dodged one last ray, and shot off in her direction.  
"We need a plan." Ladybug said urgenty amd quicky.  
"I don't know for how much onger I can go on, my lady. Maybe... use your Lucky charm?" he suggested, panting. Mathematicor was shouting taunts now, blasting randonly to scare them.  
"I was going to say that, but that board is the real problem. We can't get to him!" Ladybug said, clearly fustrated.   
"With all due respect, we don't have to get at him. We have to get to the board... Do you think he might have left the other side uprotecred?" Ladybug maditated the idea, tjen bagan to nodd.  
"That could be possible. I'll use lucky charm now." she said the magic words (no, not Harry Potter) and a small thing fell on her hand. Chat leaned on his staff.  
"Oh, something that actually has sense. Are we going to blast it apart?" Chat asked with a grin, nodding at tje grenade in the heroine's hand. She looked around.  
"Looks like it." she replied. 

XXXXX  
"How interesting." Hawkmoth mused, watching as Ladybug deactivated the bomb and threw it at the black board.  
"Looks like a fail once again." Dark Raven agreed. The both watched as the black board blew up with a explosion of red light that shook the entire city and popped the nightmare bubble. Mathematicor was desaakumatized (and promised by his sad students that they wouldn' doodle on tje board again) and the city was restored to normality again by the swarm of red bugs. Dark Raven sighed.  
"You really have to create more vilains like that one." she purred. Hawkmoth frowned.  
"Hey, Sandbou was pretty great too." he defended himsef. Dark Raben raised her eyebrows.  
"Aaaaand better names as well." she added. "I will ask Joker and Thanos for suggestions, don't worry."  
"Kiljoy." Hawkmoth muttered. The door of the lair suddenly sprang open and Nathalie strid in.  
"Did yoi find Adri--" Hawkmoth began to ask, but Nathalie's furious glare stopped him.  
"I got caught up. You know. In the MASSIVE EXPLOSION CAUSED BY ADYBUG, WHO WAS SUMMONED BY MATHEMATIWHATEVERHISNAMEWAS AND I DIED!" She shouted. Hawkmoth just gaped at her.  
"Nathalie, Ohmy God, are you--"   
"Good to see that you care." she said with a sigh and a frown. "I didn't die, but I got a pole of metal right across my leg. Thank God Ladybug won this time." she dragged a face across her face. Gabriel's transformation dropped. This was the first time je had seen her so stressed. When she removed her hand away from her face, her expresion was back to normal. But Gabriel could feel tje anger deep within her. He felt a pang of regret.  
"Nat--"  
"And now, if you excuse me, I am going to my room to take a long rest." and with that, she whirled around and left the room. For a moment, the two villains just stood there. Olive's transformation dropped, Sunset floating over onto he shoulder.  
"Draaaama. You better go speak with her." she said. Gabriel nodded and strode off. Just before leaving, he turned to look at her.  
"Are you leaving?"  
"I will just stay here for a little wile. To collect my thoughts." she extended out a hand and one of the hutterflies landed on her finger. Gabriel nodded and left.

He found Nathali lying on top of her bed and staring at the ceiling. He slowly walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed.  
"I'm sorry." he muttered. Nathale sighed.  
"Of course you are." she looked at him with an anoyed expression. "Gabriel, some times you are incredibly reckless." [I think we all know that].  
"On that we can agree. I'm sorry for what happened. Did you suffer?" he asked, regret in his voice.  
"For about five seconds before the ladybugs got everything back to normal. Adrien's on his way back home, by the way." she added in a flat voice. Gabriel sighed and surprised Nathalie by aying next to her and placing a hand on hers. She didn't move it away.  
"I'm truly sorry. The prospect of finally wining the war made me a bit reckless." These words were received with a loud humff from Nathalie. "Fine. Very reckless. I promise you that I will try to control my actions if it happens again."  
"You won't try, sir. You will or will not." Nathalie said. Gabriel laughed, planting a sma kiss on her cheekbefore getting up amd walking to the entrance. He stoped at the doorway and looked behind him. He didn't miss the flush creeping up on Nathaie's skin and smiled.  
"I will." he replied, walking out. 

Dusuu was whirling circes around Nathalie's head.  
"Somebody's in loooooove!" she sing sang. Nathalie didn't quieten her. It could be true...

BONUS:  
*ten euros in paper on table*  
Plagg: I need that cheese... *looks at money* Adrien won't notice if...  
A few hours later...  
*Adrien comes back home and finds nine coins on the table*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make this chapter a little comedic... please tell me if it was too weird or if it was okay.  
> PS: enjoyed the bonus? This actually happened to one of my friends, BTW.


	15. Chapter 15

"I'm so hungry!" Plagg whined, flopping onto Adrien's desk. He didn't take his eyes off the computer as he scrolled down the Ladyblog page for any new news on the orevious day.  
"You already ate cheese before, Plagg." he said flatly. Plagg moaned, rolling to a stop on Adrien's keyboard.  
"Pleeeeeeeeeeease," he mewed, giving Adrien kitten eyes. Adrien sighed, brushing his off his keyboard. The Kwuami fumed and sat with his arms crossed and his back to Adrien.  
"I'm not changing my mind, Plagg." Adrien said. The black cat groaned and flied off to fop on Adrien's pillow and sulked. Adrien ignored him (he was quite used to his kwuami's behaviour) and continued to scroll down. He found a video featuring him and Ladybug fighting off Mathematicor, infoation about the akuma (think of it as a pokemon card, really) and a lot of supporting comments for the superheroes. Adrien suddenly wondered if Ladybug ever looked at the Ladyblog.

He suddenly remembered his meeting with Hawkmoth's suppossed 'partner in crime'. She hadsaid that his identity would be reveaed unless he handed over his jewel.  
Nope. Nevere ever. Plagg gave him his freedom. He wasn't about to give it away. He stood up and said his transformation line, soon leaping out the window. He was going to look for clues on this new villain. But little did he know that she was headed for the mansion, slipping inside just as he jumped out.

XXXXX  
"Good afternoon," Dark Raven said, entering Gabriel's office. The designer looked up, surprised, as she strode inside and pressed the buttons on his wife's painting.  
"What are you--" he began to say, but she was already sinking down. All he could do was to follow the feathered villain into his lair. She waited inpatiently for him next to the window, foot tapping. Before Gabriel had any words to say, she spoke.  
"Potential victim. Really dark and deep anger." she said. Gabriel frowned.  
"I don't feel any strong emotions." he said.  
"She's good at hididng them. Llok deeper." She waited until Gabriel grinned widely.  
"Won't you look at that. It runs deep. Nooroo, dark wings rise." there was a flash of purple light as Hawkmoth strid forward. "A broken heart. Angry at the man who 'loved' her. I know how that must feel." a little butterfly fluttered onto his hand and he cupped his other on top of it. He let the akuma flap its way into the world.  
"I will keep Chat Noir busy." Dark Raven said.   
"How?"  
"We had... a little apointment. You take work of Ladybug. I'll deal with Chat Noir." and save you from suffering the pain, she added in her mind with a little stab of sadness. When he found out who Chat truly was...  
"Good luck, then. Could you call Nathalie down here?" he asked.   
"I will." She bit her lower lip. "Did you fix things with her?"  
"I did. Now go." Hwakmoth said, turning around to hide his flush. Dark Raven made her exit and went up to Nathalie's room. She knocked and a hopeful voice said "Come in."

The villain opened the door and found Nathalie laying in bed, tablet in hands. Her expression fell when she saw the villain.  
"Sorry I'm not Gabriel, but he wants you in the lair." Raven said easily. Nathalie flushed deeply.  
"I'l go." she muttered. Dark Raven smiled.  
"Don't loose him, okay?" she said with a wink. Before she turned and left, she didn't miss Nathalie's blush deepen even more.

XXXXX  
Chat jumped onto another building, enjoying the soft wind on his leather covered skin. He stipped to watch cars pass down below before a voice startled him into action.  
"Did you make a choice yet?" he whirled ariund and saw a woman dressed in black leaning on a staff. A waist cape flapped behind her as she watched him with cool eyes.   
"I'm not handing over my miraculous." Chat growled. The villain rolled her eyes with a sigh.  
"It alwaaaays comes to this point. I will fight you for it, tjen. And if you loose, adios to your secret identity." she grinned as Chat took out his metal staff.


	16. Chapter 16

Chat was a good fighter, but it seemed almost efortless for.Dark Raven to dodge every single blow he attacked her with. She yawned, making Chat's fustration rise even higher.  
"Is that seriously all you can do?" She asked with a bored expression. "I've fought a lot of people, but none as slow as you."  
"And I've fought a lot of people and none were as annoying as you," Chat sad, attempting to hit her with his staff without success. She sighed.  
"We can pit your self embarrassment and my wasting of time if you hand over that jewel." she said in a flat voice.  
"Only in my nightmares!" he growled. Dark Raven shruged.   
"As you wish." she quickly made a bubble and threw it at him with such force that he was thrown back onto the hard concrete. "Will you give me your ring now?"  
"As you wish," he said in a robotic and flat voice, slipping the ring off his finger. The little bpack kwuami floated beside him, wearing the same blank expression. Dark Raven took the eing from Adrien.  
"I should have done this from the begginning. Oh well. You'll get it back soon, okay?" she removed the bubble and snapped her fingers, busting it. Adrien suddenly came to his senses, eyes widening when she saw the ring in her hands.  
"You'll get it back as soon as I'm done with it," she said. And before he could say a single word, she was already jumping away. He ran to the edge of the building, powerless. What was he going to do now?

XXXX  
Hawkmoth watched from his lair as Ladybug struggled to defeat the pigeon guy without her partner's help. That must mean that Dark Raven was keeping the hero bussy. The door of his lair bust open and he turned around to see Olive walk in, a jubilant smile on her face, Sunset following her. She stopped and held up Chat Noir's ring.  
"I have it. I finally got us the 50% of our goal." she said. Hawkmoth wasn't even mad when Ladybug desacumatized his latest victim.   
"Is this a dream or reality?" he asked, dropping his transformation and giving her a true smile.  
"The latter. Shall we tell our news to Nathalie?" Olive asked.  
"Not yet. We should celebrate it somehow. We will go out for dinner, the four of us."  
"...Four?" Olve asked, confused.  
"Adrien too. I think it's about time he learns about my goal." Gabriel said. Olive already knew how it would turn out, then.  
"I honestly don't think it's a good idea..You should ask Nathale about her opinion," she said.  
"Ask me about what?" Nathalie herself entered the lair, tablet in her hands.  
"If I should tell Adrien about our goal." Gabriel replied. Nathalie's only sign that told the other too that she was flustered or shocked was a slight widening of the eyes. Nothing more.  
"Sir, I think you should keep Adrien out of this." she said slowly. And just like that, Gabriel changed his mind. They were going to have dinner for four (to introduce Olive to Adrien) and then have aprivate meeting for the three of them to discuss about the ring (whch Nathalie had no idea about yet), since Adrien was going to be there at any moment. And so the plans were made and a dinner table was requested at a fancy restaurant.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm awfully sorry that I havn't been able to post anything in a VERY long time, but this Coronavirus has been interrupting my daily routine  
> Before we start, I would just like to give some advise to all of you: you should stay home. In Spain, that'ss my country, things have gone crazy. Hospitals are collapsing because there are many infected people. I am not terrified of the virus, but I AM worried about what would happen if I got into an accident and had to go to a hospital only to find that no one can attend to me because everyone is ocupied treating the infected.   
> All I am asking is that you be responsible with the choices you make. The better option would be staying home and working online and so.   
> Now, let's continue with this story!

"Are you for real?" Adrien asked, a massive smile on his face. Nathalie couldn't resist the urge to smile as well.  
"No. Get dressed. We will be waiting for you downstairs." Nathalie said, walking out. Adrien shut the door and dropped his smile. He actually felt very upset. Fustrated. He looked down at his hand, remembering his ring's glint when he turned it to the light.  
He had failed Ladybug.  
He had failed Paris.   
But most of all, he had failed Plagg. He was supposed to be his guardian and instead he had gotten beaten in a fight by a criminal he had ony seen twice and now he felt terrible for it. He had lost Plagg and all his happiness in him.  
Because now he wouldn't have the freedom Chat Noir gave him.  
Adrien groaned, fighting back the tears, as he fell back on his bead and stayed there for a long time.

Meanwile, Gabriel was in his office, a wicked grin on his face as he held up the ring to Nathalie.  
"You actually succesded!" his assistant inspected the ring which Gabriel handed her.   
"Olive fought Chat Noir for it while I kept Ladybug bussy. Now we just have to take care of the bug, Nat." he said. Nathalie looked up at him, smiling brightly.  
"I'm impressed with your work." she said, "I never expected this day to come so soon."  
"Neither did I," Gabriel said. His tone was serious once again. "You have been incredibly helpful in everything, Nathalie."  
"Thabk you, sir."  
"Not only work and being Mayura, Nat. I also mean in my life. If you weren't here for me and Adrien, I would be deep under the sea of missery. But I am not. Thanks to you." he said. Nathalie opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to do or say.  
"Tha-thank you, sir." she stammered. Gabriel gave her a warm smile.   
"And I want to show you how much this means to me in so many ways I can't name right now. But I have one." Gabriel said. Nathalie's heart was racing for a reason Nathalie didn't understand. Gabriel turned around and picked up something from his desk. It was a beautifully wraped box. The wraping was a deep purple and the tag on it said 'For Nathalie' in neat loopy handwriting. Nathalie wordlessly opened the box and gasped. Inside the box was a folded dress. She set the box on the table and slowly pulled out the dress. It wasmade from a smooth dark purple fabric and had long sleeves that reached down to her hands. The dress was long and had a peackock pattern on the side.  
"Wow." she whispered. Gabriel nodded.  
"I designed it especially for you. And that's not all." he reached into his pocket and took out a brooch. It was an actual peacock feather, painted with flakes of god on the tips. Gabriel smiled and Nathalie realized why her heart beat so fast.  
She had often pushed her romantic feelings for Gabriel away from her mind in order to concentrate on work, but now sue knew that Gabriel had nailed them down. She wouldn't be able to ignore them at all.  
XXXX  
"Adrien?" Nathalie called, knocking on the door. It opened to show the yoinger Agreste dressed in a fine suit. His eyes widened when he saw the outfit Nathalie wore.  
"Wow. Did Father give you that?" he asked.  
"Yes. Are you ready to go?" she asked.  
"Yeah." he replied. However in his mind he had a little smile. So his father was moving on?  
"In that case, let's go now. Mr. Adgreste is waiting for us downstairs." 

They descended the stairs only to find Gabriel speaking to another girl. Adrien stopped as the girl's eyes slid on to him.  
The were familiar.  
"Adrien, this is Olive," Gabriel said. "She is an associate of ours. After our dinner, she , Nathalie and I will be having a meeting so you wipl be coming home with Gorilla." Adrien kept hs expression blank and nodded.  
"Sure." he replied. The girl gave him a smipe and greeted him.  
But Adrien needed to know what the meeting would be about and if his suspisions were true.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I am so sorry that I wasn't able to post any sooner but you probably heard of the so-called coronavirus and yeah...  
> Anyways, I want to post a pair of ORIGINAL stories (like, nt fanfic) but I am not sure if that is allowed here. So, if you guys know, please jusst leave a message in the comments and soon I will be back in front of the computer.  
> Enjoy this chapter!  
> Also, pls read Child Again by Silverwhisperer if you are a Gabrnath shipper because OMG it is too cute. But before that, start with forgotten memories and then on.  
> I tell you, it is worth your time!

The ride to the restaurant Gabriel had booked at was quiet. Gabriel and Nathalie were having a silent conversation with their eyes, Adrien was simply looking out the window and Olive was texting her mother to tell her she would be home later than usual (not that her parents would care, but safe better than sorry). Gorila parked the car just outside the front doors and they all got out.  
"Be back in two hours' time." Gabriel told Gorila. The huge man nodded and drove off.  
"Mr. Agreste!" they all turned as a waiter ran to them. He vowed as if Gabriel were some kind of monarch and moved aside to let them pass.   
"We got a table ready for the four of you just like you asked, sir!" the man said. Adrien knew that this man's happiness was not because f meeting Gabriel Agreste but because of the large quantity he would be payed if he were able to please his father. The waiter leaded them to the terrace (which was on a bacony on the second floor) and showed them to their table.  
"Please, make yourselves at home!" the man said, waving his gloved hand to a round table. They did, taking their seats. Olive was quick to order the menu.  
"It is the first time I ever come to such a restaurant, you know?" she said as she opened the menu. "My parents usually order food and all that. I am fortunate to be able to experience this."  
"Good for you, then." Gabriel said as he flipped throigh his menu. They ordered their food and then fell into silence. Nathalie's phone began to ring.  
"Gotta take it," she told them. Gabriel nodded and she stood up, leaving the table.  
"How are your grades doing, Adrien?" Gabriel asked.  
"Oh. Fine." the teenager replied. "Straight As in all."  
"Really?" Olive asked. "I can't seem to improve any more in mathematics or science. But I do love history and Geography."  
"Really?" Adrien asked. She nodded.  
"My grandfather taught me Geography when I was a kid." she said. Gabriel didn't miss the pang of hurt when she said it. As for Olive, Sunset was patting her side from her jscket's innner pocket in what the kwuami hoped was a helpful way. Nathalie returned to the table.  
"It was Adrey Burgois again. She complains that she isn't getting the dress you promissed her." she told Gabriel. The older man sighed.  
"I'll message her later on." just then, the waiter had arrived with their drinks.

They spent the next hour conversating. Olive was the most talkative while Nathalie mostly kept quiet. Adrien kept throwing glances at each of the adults and the older teen suspiciously, wondering what was going on between them. He the proceeded to slip the walki talkie he had taken with him out of his pant's pocket and placing it on the back of his chair descretly. He stood up with the excuse of having to go the bathroom and left the table with a second walkie talkie. He locked himself in one of the stalls and turned the walking e on. He missed Plagg telling him that the plan would fail. He listened to the static. Then, in a blurry sound...  
"I am sorry to say this, Mr. Agreste, but I am a little skeptic of talking about our victory with people around us." that was Olive.  
"I can't help but agree with her." Nathalie.  
"Expected the restaurant to be more or less empty," His father. "Maybe we should talk at headquarters." Adrien guessed he meant the mantion.   
"Sounds like a plan." Olive agreed. Adrien turned the walkie off. So he wouldn't have to break any major news to get to the point. Godd. Better than nothing.

He returned to the table not long after only ti find that they had already been served. He slipped onto his chair and smiled.  
"This looks delicious," Olive said, snapping s picture of her fancy salad. And so they ate. Adrien was unaware of the glances he was getting from Olive. She found it funny that she was sitting next ro Chat Noir (or what was left of the super hero) and he didn't even know that the villain who had srolen his ring was sitting right next to him.  
Soon she would be able to bring her Grandfather back. Soon enough they wouod be toguether once more. Her eyes slid onto Gabriel and she hoped that he would acquire what he haf been fighting for too.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a bunch of crazy weeks it's been! But ceirntanly for the Earth. Oh, BTW. Happy Earth day! To celebrate, I will post a new chapter (deep apologies for the delay). As for the Earth, did any of you notice that it is regenerating? My friend lives by the beach and she says she saw sting rays and a lot of fish. That must be quite a sight...  
> Anyways, since it is Earth day, here's a quote:  
> "We need wisdom to find the soluction and then courage to back it." David Attenborough (I'm pretty sure that you've heard of him)

The night didn't go as planned. Like Gabriep had said, the restaurant was far too crowded to have any villain-to-villain discussions. They might as well have waved Chat Noir's ring in the air. So in the end (unsurprisingly for Adrien) Gabriel canceled the extra time he, Nathalie and Olive would be spending at the restaurant (which upset the waiter with great expectations). They ate, had polite conversation, then Gabriel payed the bill and the four of them left the restaurant to be driven back to the mansion by Gorilla. Adrien was slightly dissapointed but he still held a great deal of curiosity inside him. So when his father sent him off to his room, Adrien agreed he would, then waited for the adults (and Olive) to shut themselves in his father's office. He the ceouched beside the door and quietly tried to hear their voices. Strangely enough, the office was deadly quiet. Adrien wished he had Plagg by his side, if only to steady his thundering heart.

Adrien listened closely. It was quiet. Deadly quiet. He straightened up and carefully turned the door handle, pushing the office door open a crack. The teen peered in- and was shocked to find it empty. He pushed it open a little farther, and then fully open. His heart thundered in his ears ike a drum.  
Where were they gone?  
He stepped into the office, suspiciously looking around. Maybe they had gone somewhere else. Perhaps the lair his father had spoken about was in some other part of the house. Adrien stood in the doorway, looking around. His eyes then landed on his mother's huge painting and he frowned. The last time he had touched it, it had revealed a hidden compartment. Maybe... maybe it could be hiding something else. Something he hadn't been told about. While it made him feel slightly betrayed, he still kept in mind that his father was, after all, a man of many secrets.  
But reader, I must warn you that some secrets are not worth keeping silent. It shatters connections with others and I tell you this because have experienced before. I think we all have.  
But the size of the secrets bothfather and son were keeping from each other was so big that it would not shatter their connections.   
It would absolutely destroy them if they were interpreted in the wrong way.

XXXX

Meanwhile, Paris' top villains were having a, what you would call, villanous conversation. Gabriel heopd up the ring for the other two to see.  
"Now we are closer to our goals than we have ever been." he said pleasently. Nooroo floated next to him quietly, his eyes on the ring that held the black cat kwuami. Olive grinned.  
"I can taste victory already," she said softly. "All we need now is Ladybug's miraculous and our work here will be nearly compete."  
"Perfect." Gabriel purred, turning to Nathalie. "What do you think?" His assistant, loyal as ever, smiled with glee.  
"I think that all our hard work is paying off now, sir." she replied.  
"Years. I've waited and suffered for years and soon we will reach our goal." Gabriel said.   
"What about the last bug?" Olive asked.  
"We will get her earrings and then proceed on to the last stage." Gabriel said. He was in a good mood. He was close. So close he could actually see Emily waiting for him at the end of the line.

Nathalie, however, was feeling a bit less victorious. She loved to see her boss in such a good mood. She was happy if he was happy and that was what mattered most. But... when Emily came back... would she be pushed away for another? Would she have to bury her... unusual feelings gor her boss? The poor assistant coudn't tell the future, so she had no way of knowing.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's not all folks! I am pleased to say (more like write) that I can't leave poor Nat hanging like that-- nor you guys!!! So... surprise! Extra chapter delivered straight to whatever you are reading on!  
> PS: I'm having such a nice time writing that perhaps I might end up weiting more than I had planned initially XD

Adrien stood in his father's office opposite his mother's painting. He had opened the secret compartment only not to find a secret room. So far, he was not succesful. He then inspected the painting itself, looking for any hidden clues. By the end of the hour, the teen felt fustrated and tired. He decided to simply drop it and return to his bedroom and continue his observations later on. He had just closed the door to the office and climbed up to his room when the trapdoor opened on the floor. He had been close to figuring it out. Such things happen all the time, and this was.one occation.

"I'd better head back home now." Olive had said. And so she had, hoping out the window and into the night outside. Nathalie, however, needed an anwser.  
"Sir? May I ask a question?" she asked.  
"I'm listening," Gabriel said, arranging some papers on his desk.  
"What will happen when Miss Agreste returns?" Nathalie asked, feeling like a child.  
"Well, do you mean for the bussiness?" Gabriel asked, glancing up at her.  
"Yes."   
"Well, it would be pretty much the same. You as my secretary and me as the designer/CEO." Gabriel said. He then paused. "Well, you are pretty much the CEO of the company."  
"And outside work?" Nathalie asked. Gabriel had a thoughtful pause of silence.  
"I can't be sure of that, but it will certainly be different to have Emily around." he finally said. Nathalie nodded. But she was still questioning herself. Would she be pushed away sooner or later? She had a mental sigh at this question. That, she would have to wait and see.  
"Well, I should get back to my appartment." she said. Gabriel checked his watch.  
"Nathalie, it is eleven twenty one." he said. "You should stay for the night. It's late."  
"So? I am capaboe of getting to my appartment on my own without getting killed." she said. Gabriel gave her the kind of look your parents give you when they are on a 'don't play games with me' mood, tilting his head an inch.  
"I am not convinced." he said.  
"Even if I were to stay, what would I change into?" she asked, knowing very well that she had a wardrobe with a few items of clothing in it in the guest room. Gabriel didn't miss this either.  
"There are a bunch of clothes in the guest room," he said simply, knowing he had won the argument. Nathalie sighed.  
"Fine. I'll do it if it makes you happy." she finally said. Gabriel smiled and her heart did a backflip. She willed it to calm down.  
"Good. After all, if my assistant were to die unexpectedly, where would I find one as good as her?" he asked, leading the way out of the office. Nathalie was unable to hide the timy pleased smile that pulled at tue corners of her mouth. 

They passed Adrien's room quietly, unaware of the fact that the teen had been in the office not long ago, and Gabriel leaded the way to Nathalie's 'room'. While she changed in the bathroom out of her dress and into a comfy t-shirt and trousers, Gabriel prepared her bed. Soon Nathalie came out of the bathroom in fresh clothes to find Gabriel sitting on her bedside. She hung the dress, fairly aware that he had let her hair down. Gabriel stood up from her bed and walked to the window, drawing the curtains shut.  
"I'll see you tomorrow." he said, walking to the door.  
"Good night, sir." Nathalie said.   
"Sleep well." he replied, closing the door.   
Had it just been him, or had he really felt a stir in his chest? 

The man did't bother changing out of his clothes, lying on his bed and shuting his eyes. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to go chase away the nightmares.


	21. Chapter 21

Gabriel had barely gotten any sleep the previous night (I guess you can guess why). By the time he returned to his room the sun was already showing up in the sky. He sighed, deciding that trying to get some sleep would be a waste of time. He descended down to his office and shut the door behind him, collapsing at his chair and momentarily pinching the bridge of his nose before pulling a drawer open and pulling out one of his many sketch books. He then pulled out a high quality pencil and set the tip on the paper. He stayed like this for a momment, then spent the next few minutes tapping the paper with his pencil in an effort to find something to draw. 

He looked up when the door opened and Nathalie appeared behind it.  
"Good morning, sir." she said, pushing her glasses up higher on her nose.  
"You are up already?" he said. His assistant shruged.  
"I kept waking up. And anyways, I need to anwser a lot of emails from various costumers." she said. Gabriel frowned.  
"By various costumers do you mean--?"   
"Audrey Burgois, yes." Nathalie nodded, "And few others." Gabriel nodded.  
"In that case, I'll see you later." he said. Nathalie nodded and quietly closed the door. The designer tried to concentrate on what he should have been finishing long ago. But he kept feeling a nagging feeling he couldn't shake off. Half an hour passed before he gave up and delicately set his pencil down and leaned back on his chair.  
"Good choice, sir." came Olive's voice from the window sill, "Drawing when you are not into it just ruins the sketch. The same with music and writing-- and about everything else." she added, hoping down onto the floor like a cat.  
"That's a good piece of advice, I believe." Gabriel mused.  
"So are you up for some crime?" she asked.  
"What we do can't be completely clasified as crime," Gabriel said. "but we are closer to our goal than ever before." Black Raven clapped her hands with glee.  
"Perfect." she said as Gabriel stood and walked to Emilie's painting.

Moments later, the two of them stood before the window, butterflies swarming all around them, getting ready to akumatize yet another victim.


	22. Chapter 22

So much for trying to get those miraculouses. 

Olive sat on the edge of a building, legs swinging back and forth. She was dressed as Dark Raven, but she didn't feel like a villain at all. There was that dark, empty hole inside her chest.  
She missed her Grandfather more than ever.

The girl sighed, looking at the Eiffel tower, standing so proud and strong over Paris. Odd, since it had been lying on its side only an hour ago. They had been close to getting Ladybug's miraculous. SO close. And yet... and yet they had failed once again. Olive found her body was shuddering as her throat ached and her eyes stung with unshed tears.  
The wight of the feeling that she was failing her grandfather over and over again was heavy upon her shoulders. Her transformation dropped as she muttered the magic words and Sunset flew to rest on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault." the kwuami said kindly, patting Olive's neck with a tiny hand.

"If it weren't, we would have Grandpa with us." Olive sniffed, wiping away a tear. She forced herself to stop, to keep a poker face, but the dam that had been holding it back suddenly cracked.

XXX

It had been a bad day for Marinette. First, she had arrived late to class. Then she had dropped a dozen books all over Adrien and she had fallen at his feet. She was laughed at by Chloe. And then there was a GODDAMN acuma and she had to defeat it without Chat Noir showing his sorry behind. Oh, and she had nearly gotten her miraculouses stolen. If she hadn't improvised a plan on the spot, Hawkmoth would probably be in possession of her earrings. 

The heroine collapsed on her bed with a fustrated sigh, squeezing her eyes closed. She felt Tikki drop on the bed next to her with a tired sigh of her own. Both of them stayed like that for a few minutes, neither speaking with the fear of shattering the temporary peace between them.

XXX

It wasn't only a bad day for Marinette and Olive; Gabriel sat at his desk, tapping the other end of his pencil on the paper he was supposed to be drawing on. His brow was furrowed with concentration, but his eyes didn't seem to be concentrated on the paper. He let out an annoyed sigh and straightened his back, leaning back on his cair and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Fustration clouded his mind, misdirecting his concentration. They had failed over and over again. They had Chat Noir's ring, but they were still missing the last ingredient. And for some reason, Gabriel felt like they weren't any closer to getting it.

At the other end of the mansion, Adrien was shut in his room, laying on his back and meaninglessly staring at the ceiling. He had been like that for quite a few minutes, his thoughts rolling around in his mind. He missed Plagg's slurping noises as the kwuami ate his cheesy. He missed Plagg's sarcastic comments. He missed the kwuami's annoying little voice telling him that he was hungry.

Life without that twist wasn't proving to be very exciting, and very much less progressive. He hated Dark Raven for catching him in a vulnerable moment. He hated her for stealing the miraculous. He hated her because she had managed to take what little freedom he had had left away.  
All he could think of was the fact that Ladybug had been near to loosing her miraculous. He could have been there, but he wasn't.

He had failed her.

And a floor down, Nathalie stood in front of the coffee machine, her thoughts running wildly as she prepared herself a cup of coffee. She was upset and helpless to see her boss suffer. She didn't feel like she could do much for him in the emotional zone. Nathalie wasn't an emotions experct, which was weird, because she had a miraculous whose's powers were supposed to do with emotions... The assistant shook her head and pressed the button to turn of the coffee machine. As the coffee poured into the cup, she let her thoughts wonder a little. What would happen if- when they brought Emily back? Would life be the same or would things change? Nathalie had no way to know this, since she couldn't see the future. Would it be the beginning or the end? She sighed.

"End, begin, all the same." she muttered as the coffee machine finished its job. Nathalie took it and she walked back to her office to bury herself under phone numbers, forms, lists and whatever else was in store for her. Running a fashion company was not an easy task. She had just settled down at her desk and turned on her computer when the door opened. She looked up and found Gabriel standing at the doorway.

"Did you need anything?" Nathalie asked, looking at him over her PC.

"Just... some company." Her boss said. Nathalie nodded, her eyes moving down to the sketchbook and pencils he was holding.

"So long as you are not too loud," she said with the smallest of smiles. Gabriel smiled back in a tired way and etered the office, closing the door behind him and sitting on the chair opposite Nathalie's. Both adults began their work, keeping quiet about it. Neither wished to break the peaceful silence that had settled over the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so awfully sorry I didn't update earlier! DX I was planning to a couple of days ago but life happened.  
> There was a reference to The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance in there, and it was the 'End, begin, all the same." thing that Nathalie muttered. Well done if you figured it out virtual cookies to you *holds out virtual cookie jar* I will also report that I am yawning my head off right now. I am slightly sleep deprived these days due to homework and all that (and E-learning takes a LONG time). Anyways, if you guys are interested, I've posted a few The Cat Returns stories and I've just started a The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Please stop by if you are interested.  
> Oh, and I will try be quicker on posting chapters. Expect one between Thursday and Friday. Good day to *yawn* you...  
> Oh, and next time the chapter will be longer.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am feeling generous and inspired, so here goes yet another chapter! This was a little bit inspired by Stranger things.  
> Hint: "Just. Get. It . over. With!

"You know, English is a weird language." Olive said, sitting cross-legged on her bed. Sunset looked up from the strawberry she was nibbling at.

"Why?" the kwuami asked, flying over to her. Olive snorted.

"See, this is the 'ough' sound. But it makes absolutely no sense. You can use it in dough, cough, fought, through and other words. None of them rhyme, Sunset." she said, pointing at each word on her book. "And yet, PONY and BOLOGNA [pronounced Boloni to those who don't know] rhyme, Sun. My life is a lie. All these years, I thought you said Bologna in the way it was written." She chuckled to herself.

"You do have a point, Miss." Sunset agreed, returning to her strawberry. "English is simply complicated." 

"There are so many other weird words. Like, archives. And... I don't know, liberation? And take a look at emotion!" She shut the book with a snap and leaned back with a sigh. "Speaking of emotion; I think we should go visit the Agrestes." Sunset looked doubtful.

"Miss Olive, I think you are overusing the miraculous a little bit too much." the kwuami said, cleaning her tiny hands on a napkin Olive ha provided her with.

"We are closer than ever to getting my grandfather back, Sunset. I can't give up on him now." Sunset looked startled.

"That's not what I meant. I want to get him back, too, but transforming into Dark Raven takes energy. A lot of it. It will begin to take a toll on you if you overdo it too much." the kwuami said.

"I don't plan on doing that, Sun. Chill-ax. We have a fashion designer and his assistant to assist, don't we?"

XXX

An hour had passed in blessed silence. Both Nathalie and Gabriel sat quietly at the former's desk, concentrated on their work. Gabriel had managed to create three colored sketches of stunning clothes. He set his pencil down and looked at the rough sketches with an artist's eye.

"What do you think?" he suddenly asked Nathalie, holdding out his sketchbook. The peaceful quiet was broken. She took it and began to open her mouth to compliment.

"And answer honestly, please." Gabriel added.

"I think they are good, sir. But this one," she tapped a midnight blue dress with silver thread acting like little stars, "could do with some arm straps. And perhaps some pockets as well." she added. Gabriel frowned.

"Pockets?" he echoed.

"If you were a girl and had a pretty dress, wouldn't you sometimes wish it had pickets?" she asked.

"Nathalie, you are a genious." Gabriel said, impressed. She gave him an uncanny, rare smile.

"I know." she said, handing him the sketchbook back. They fell back into their silence, Gabriel adding a pair of pockets onto the dress. Only a few minutes had oassed before there came a tap on the window. Nathalie wordlessly opened it and Dark Raven sliped inside.

"I wonder what people have against balconies," she said, having just been standing on the edge of the building with barely nothing to cling on to. She looked at Gabriel's sketches. "Did I catch you working? Or did I walk into something?" 

"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked, a warning edge to his voice. She only gave him a smile.

"Oh, nothing" she said pleasantly, waving a gloved hand. "What I mean is: are you two busy?" 

"I just have to finish a couple of surveys and that's it." Nathalie reported.

"I can just wait for you to complete them." the younger villain said, leaning against the wall and wordlessly dropping her transformation. Sunset landed on her shoulder and made herself comfortable. 

"I can finish them later." Nathalie said. Olive shrugged.

"Sounds fine to me. I have a few ideas to get Ladybug's miraculous. They are a little risky. I thought it would be better if I shared them with you two first." she said as Gabriel leaded the way to his office. As they dissapeared down a corridor, Adrien descended the stairs to the first floor. He was going to go meet Nino, who had invited him over to his house to play video games with him. As he got into the car with Gorilla, he had a sudden flashback of a conversation he had had with Plagg. 

Plagg, unsurprisingly, had been snacking on cheese while Adrian replayed a video of Ladybug in an interview over and over again for the... twelfth time? He wasn't exactly sure, but he couldn't take his lovestruck eyes from Ladybug's smiling face. 

"Why can't you just get over with it?" Plagg groaned, flying to sit ontop of Adrien's screen. 

"What?" he asked.

"Ladybug, of course! You are acting like a creep by doing that. You know, replaying that video over and over again." the kwuami said, tepping the screen with a tiny hand. Adrien's cheeks flushed.

"Remember what happened last time I did that?" he asked.

"Yeah. Rejection." Plagg said. "You weren't even trying. You keep getting your sorry behind kicked because you simply can't get over with it! Kiss and make up, for... my appetite's sake!" The kwuami stuffed the last of the cheese in his mouth.

"It doesn't work like that-" Adrien stuttered, but Plagg was quick to cut him off.

"It might not, kid, but it will the sooner you do it." Plagg said with an annoyed sigh. Really, it would be so much easier if he revealed the fact that the baker's daughter was Ladybug. Curse Tikki for not allowing him to do that. Still...

"Just. Get. It. Over. With!" 

Adrien got out of the car with the memory fresh on his mind as he walked up to Nino's front door and rung the bell. The door opened.

"Hey, Dude!" his friend greeted, opening the door for him. "You are last. There was a change of plans and Arya and Marinette came over as well. You know how intensive my girl is," he added.

"I heard that!" Came Arya's muffled shout. Nino grinned as he moved aside to let Adrien in. They went to the living room, were Marinette and Arya were seated at. The former girl was not as nervous as she had been a few years ago, but there was still a hint of nervousness in her smile.

Neither Marinette nor Adrien knew that Nino and Arya had done it on purpose. 

The teenagers sat arround the sofa and took turnson the console while chatting. For a while, everything was normal and everyone was having fun.

But then, there's always a party pooper.

There was a crash outside followed by a high pitched laugh that suggested the arrival of yet another akuma. Marinette excused herself to the bathroom and didn't return. The others turned on the news channel to see what the new attack was about.

It was a big surprise that the akuma had taken Peppa Pig's shape, only that it was at keast as big as a small house with laser beam eyes. Nino snorted.

"I bet the victim was a child." he said.

Minutes passed as they watched the camera film Ladybug fighting the akuma, who indeed kept shifting from shape to shape (there was Whinie the Poo and Caillou, as well as Pocoyo...). Ladybug managed to capture the Akuma. And then a dark shape appeared on a rooftop. Adrien somehow recognized it. With a jolt, he rememberes who it could be.

Dark Raven. AKA, his Miraculous' stealer. Anger burned inside him as well as a spark of hatred as he watched the villain casually walk over to Ladybug, who was setting the butterfly free. There were a few minutes in which both of them had a heated conversation, gesturing to each other and taking steps back and forward. Soon they were doing a dance around one another, dodging and leaping the other's attack and attacking. After a minute of this, the villain hopped onto a rooftop with uncanny ease and said something to Ladybug, who chased after the villain as she ran off and disappeared from sight. Then it was done.

XXX

Olive felt pleased with herself as she stood off on a rooftop, watching Ladybug attempt to figt with her other self. She had pulled off a big number with the akuma nightmare she had created and tured Ladybug out in the process. But the bug wouldn't be easily squished after all. She would have to rely on Marinette's instinct to save people and be a heroine to bring Ladybug to her at the time and location she had said. Midnight. At the Eiffel Tower. Then, everything would go as planned. After all, not even Ladybug could face off by herself against Mayura, Hawkmoth and Dark Raven.

It would be fun to see what the result would be. Olive tapped the com in her ear.

"Red bug has been caught." she said with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Resources:  
> Stranger Things (episode 'The Bite', season three (Murray's burstout with Hopper and Joyce)- not advised for young viewers due to, er, inappropriate content)  
> Meme about English language  
> Catsafari (writer) about the pockets


	24. Chapter 24

"Everything is going according to our plan." Olive saud, opening the door to her bedroom. She let Sunset fly in before closing it. "We should meet ten minutes before twelve. What do you guys think?" 

" _Safe better than sorry,_ " Nathalie's voice said in the background.

" _Let's do that. We will be sure that Ladybug wanders into our hands. I've allowed Adrien to stay at his friend's house today, so we have time._ " Gabriel said.

"Perfect. I will see you two at the tower?" 

" _Yes._ " Gabriel said.

"See you there." Olive ended the call, collapsing on her bed. She turned her head to look at Sunset. "I have time for a little nap, right?"

"Plenty of time. I will wake you up in an hour." Sunset said.

Olive nodded, curling up on top of her bed, "Thanks, Sun." 

XXXXX

Adrien looked at his reflection in the mirror, feeling utterly useless without Plagg by his side. He let his forehead fall against the glass with a tired sigh, closing his eyes for a moment and focusing on the cold texture of the glass. 

"Adrien? You okay in there?" Nino asked from outside, making Adrien snap back into reality.

"Y-yes!" he cried.

"Okay. Look, just wanted to say that Marinette had to leave a minute ago. Apparently her parents need her back at the bakery or something." Nino said.

"At this time?" Adrien asked, surprised.

"Yep." he frowned at his reflection. 

"Okay, thanks for letting me know." he said. He waited for Nino to walk back to the living room before letting sitting down on the toilet seat, mind whirring. It wasn't the first time it happened. Marinette was always going and coming at the most unusual times to do so. It was both worrying and puzzling. Adrien's eyes widened.

Perhaps she was Ladybug's helper or something...

XXXXX

Marinette ran down the street, slamming to a stop at the traffic light. It turned green and she ran again, as fast as her legs would allow her to. She dashed into an alley, glancing down at her watch. Thirty minutes or so before twelve. She would sit hidden on a roof and wait for the villain to arrive at the scene. 

"Tikki, spots on!" she whispered. Soon she was easily clambering up onto the roof, keeping to the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know this was short but I feel horribly tired TMT. Perhaos tomorrow I will post again, if I get any time. My apologies!!!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I apologize for the long wait. I know I said chapters would be posted every week, but man, sometimes I just get carried away and well....  
> I'm sorry for the wait. It's pretty late over here, so this chapter might be a bit short. However, I will find time to post another chapter.  
> Enjoy the read!

"Ohoho, this is going to be fun," Olive said into her comn, perched a top a streetlanp near the Eiffel Tower.

" _Is everyone in their positions?_ " Nathalie asked.

"Raven's perched," Olive said, scratching an itchy spot behind her ear.

" _Hawkmoth?_ "

" _In position,_ " came Gabriel's reply.

"Perfect. This will be over as soon as it's started," Olive purred, flicking a strand of her hair back from her face. "The ladybug should be here soon enough, if she decides to come."

" _I expect she will. To her, this must look like a chance._ " Hawkmoth said. Olive chuckled lightly.

"Instead, it will be the other way around. You know what? I like it." she said. She suddenly spotted a small figure moving around at the base of the tower. "And I believe she is already here. Raven's moving out now. Hawkmoth, trust you to be my backup."

" _Waiting for the opportunity,_ " he replied.

"Good to know. Meet you at the top!" With that, the young villain lightly pounced down from her perch, silently running up to the tower. She climbed onto a roof skillfully, her miraculouse's power coursing all throughout her body. "Sunset, give it all you've got," she murmured, rolling as she landed on a lower roof. She jumped up again and sprinted to the next roof, covering the distance with an easily performed jump. Soon she was climbing up the tower, the wind whipping at her hair and clothes.

" _I'm already at the top,_ " Gabriel informed.

"I'm nearly there. BTS," she said.

" _What does that mean?_ "

" _Abbreviation for Be There Soon,_ " Nathalie anwsered.

" _Ah..._ "

"Okay, I'm up. The bug's still climbing. I think we have a minute or so before she arrives," Olive informed, hauling herself over the warrier at the top and stretching. She walked over to the elevator box and easily jumped on it. "Now we just wait in silence."

" _She's already here,_ " Hawkmoth said. Just then, the heroine landed not far from below Olive's perch. Her yoyo was at the ready and she looked terribly on edge.

"Show yourself!" she shouted.

"Gee, couldn't you have been a litte less dramatic? That's my role," Olive said. Ladybug jumped, twisted around to look up at her. The villain raised a hand in greeting. "Yo."

"Give me back Chat Noir's miraculous!" Ladybug said. Olive tilted her head.

"I can't do that yet. I haven't got it. And I told him I would return it to him once all was done. I keep my word, Little bug." she said. "You could do things the easy way and hand over your own miraculous, or do things the hard way and have me take it from you like taking candy from a child."

"As if I would let you!" Ladybug snarled. Dark Raven shrugged indifferently.

"Eh. So be it. It's a lot funner this way, anyways. May the odds be in your favor."

**Author's Note:**

> So, what did you think?


End file.
